- A legendary jockey has died at the age of 93
- Cliff Clare won over 1500 races
- He retired from horse racing at the age of 62
The racing world has been sent into mourning following the death of legendary former jockey Cliff Clare.
Racing NSW has confirmed that Clare, who won more than 1500 races during a career that spanned 45 years, died on Wednesday.
‘Cliff Clare was a quietly spoken, modest gentleman who was greatly respected by all,’ said Racing NSW’s Chief Executive, Mr Peter V’landys AM.
‘Aside from being a leading jockey competing against some of the best we’ve ever seen, Cliff was always generous with his time and gave back to the industry, having been a much-valued member of Racing NSW’s Appeal Panel for two decades.
‘We would like to pass on our sincere condolences to Cliff’s family and friends.’
Legendary jockey Cliff Clare has died at the age of 93
The Australian raced for 45 years and won more than 1500 races
Clare came from a large family in Denman (Hunter Valley) being the youngest of 10 children before the family moved to Muswellbrook. After turning 16, his mother took him to the Australian Jockey Club in Sydney where he picked up an apprenticeship after Clare had heard an advertisement on radio.
His maiden win came at his favourite racecourse Kembla Grange aboard Fort Game, and last year Clare was inducted into the inaugural Illawarra Turf Club Legends program at that course.
Mr Clare teamed up with Rosehill trainer Ted Stanton and enjoyed a hugely successful partnership, with one of his career highlights being his 1967 victory in the Golden Slipper aboard the Jack and Bob Ingham-owned 40/1 roughie Sweet Embrace: ‘Can you believe it is the only Golden Slipper that has no vision due to a technical malfunction,’ Clare said.
George Moore, in Clare’s opinion, was one of the best jockeys he rode against: ‘George was a great thinker; he’d know whether you were a right or left-hand whip rider and could predict which way your horse was going to shift.’
Clare also featured in a famous movie ‘The Sundowners’ in the mid-1950s: ‘That was a lot of fun, a few of us had to ride these racehorses up and down the straight on the dirt.’
Clare retired at the age of 62 but was still deeply involved in racing
In July 1990, Clare somehow found a narrow inside passage to get up and win on Crown Joker at Rosehill.
An astonished John Tapp, the race commentator, announced over the course broadcast that Clare was nearly 60, pointing out he’d ridden a ‘dashing and daring race for a rider of his years’.
‘I came back to a reception like I’d won another Golden Slipper – I thought what’s going on here?’
He continued riding in races up until he was 62 before retiring. He was appointed to the Racing Appeal Panel where he served from 2001 to 2022.
