Military Kings delivers special Warwick Cup triumph

By Jordan Gerrans

Those that were at Allman Park to see the Warwick Cup of 2022 say while the result was not a miracle, it came very close.

The Clarke family have been mainstays of the racing industry in the area for decades, with trainer Les preparing his gallopers from his stable across the road from the track.

For much of that time, Les was aided by his son Steve, who rode work in his younger years.

In more recent times, Steven’s health kept him away from the racetrack – needing a double lung transplant – before he sadly passed away in January of this year.

At 82 years of age, Les is not as active as he once was around his barn of horses.

So, with his son Steve gone, it was his Granddaughter – Rachael Watts – who was called upon to step up.

While it has been a tragic year for the clan, it has also been a magical one on the turf.

Their stable star - Military Kings – claimed the Steve Clarke Memorial race just days after his death, before adding the Warwick Cup to their trophy cabinet last month.

“They have had a very hard year,” Warwick Turf Club President Barry Burgess said of the family. 

“They were shattered but happy to win the Cup, they had a lot of tears of joy.

“It was the best thing you could have seen as they were people really enjoying that they had won the Cup.”

Military Kings began his racing journey in Brisbane with champion trainer Tony Gollan before he was purchased online by the Clarke stable, with the late Steve identifying that he would be a smart pick-up for them.

The son of Hussonet cost a paltry $4,500 online as a maiden and is now edging towards $100,000 in career stakes. 

Rachael – who can be referred to as stable forewoman – is still coming to terms with the victory.

She was overcome with emotions in the mounting yard after their gelding bolted in to become the first locally trained stayer to win the Warwick Cup in the last 13 years.

“It was unbelievable and a dream come true, all you want to do is win your local Cup,” Rachael said.

“For it to actually happen, it still feels like it can’t be real.

“It was very emotional; I knew my Dad wanted to win the Cup and it was great to do.”

Les has been in the game since the late 1970s.

“It was a great feeling,” Les said.

“For us to win the Warwick Cup, it would feel like Chris Waller winning the Melbourne Cup.

“It was great.”

While it was a special victory, it does not rate as the highest honour of Les’ training tenure.

He has metropolitan winners in Sydney and Brisbane on his resume in his younger days.

The veteran mentor long had Warwick Cup ambitions with his progressive stayer.

After winning a Class 3 event in February, Les had his eyes on a bigger more meaningful prize later in the year.

“When we won Steven’s memorial race earlier in the year, I was speaking after the race and told them that we would win the Warwick Cup with this horse,” he remembers.

“That was six months ago and the plan came off.

“It does not always happen like that but I am glad it did this time.”

With her father gone, Rachael has grown much closer with her Grandfather through the gallopers.

She would love to take on her own licence one day when Les hangs up the boots.

But, Rachael is adamant it will not be any time soon, despite her Grandfather edging past 80 years of age.

Les is trainer by name but it is Rachael who does the majority of the physical work, saying that she just fulfils the directions from her Grandfather.

“He is a good mentor and I am learning more and more as I go,” Rachael said.

“To have someone behind you to reassure you and tell you what you should be doing is great, it is so helpful to have Grandad around.

“I do not want him to give it up any time soon.

“I love doing the horses and I love doing it with Grandad.

“I love having that reassurance and someone behind you giving that guidance as he does with me.

“It makes you confident in what you doing.”

The racing industry has always been a way of life for Les and Rachael, declaring they live and breathe it.

“I remember going to the races with my Grandma and Grandad when I was a little kid when we had good horses go to Brisbane,” Rachael said.

“I can always remember me crying when they won and I was five years old.

“So, it is no different now.”

The veteran trainer is a revered figure in the Southern Downs region. 

“He is absolutely a good bloke, top bloke,” Burgess said.

The family purchased a property with stables across the road from the Warwick track just over a decade ago.

These days they have a trio of horses in work, which was as many as half a dozen in years gone by.

Military Kings is enjoying his best preparation yet – Les thinks – as the stable have let him mature and got used to their training methods since arriving in the early stages of 2020.

Military Kings finished second in the Stanthorpe Cup just seven days after his Warwick Cup triumph.