BY NICK GUTHRIE - Daily Liberal 2 April 2023

Sam Clipperton has ridden Group 1 winners in the past but there have been few results as satisfying as Saturday's Country Championships Final victory for Dubbo trainer Brett Robb.

Robb said in the build-up to the race he felt lucky to have Clipperton in the saddle and he was proved right as the hoop urged Sizzle Minizzle forward from roughly halfway through the $500,000 event and on to a convincing victory.

The result was one of the great moments for racing in Dubbo and the western area, and Clipperton was delighted to have done the job with a trainer he's had success with in the past.

"Brett Rob, the trainer always gives me a ride in the Highways and a real good countryman, a real good bush fella and he's a great horseman," Clipperton said post-race.

"I'm really proud of him and his team. It's a big occasion for everyone involved and it's like the The Everest of the bush."

Having previously been NSW's top apprentice jockey in both 2012/13 and 2013/14, Clipperton has enjoyed a successful career and has three Group 1 wins to his name while he's also ridden in Hong Kong.

In May of last year he rode another of Robb's star gallopers, Boom Boom Basil, to a Highway win at Rosehill while he's regularly been in the saddle when trainer has made the trek from Dubbo to Sydney.

Clipperton rode Sizzle Minizzle in a Highway at Rosehill in February but the extreme hot knocked the young gelding around and he finished in eighth spot.

The minor heat stress was a concern for Robb heading into the Country Championships heat at Coonamble but Sizzle Minizzle fought on to finish second and earn a ticket to the final.

Conditions were far different on Saturday as steady rain left the Randwick surface a Heavy 8. Sizzle Minizzle had only run on a Heavy once prior to that but in the rich final the $61 outsider hugged the rails and surged clear when he got the chance.

"The first half he was giving me the indication that he wasn't handling it," Clipperton said.

"I thought 'alright I'll get you to the 600m and look after you mate.' Well, the further the race went on he just grabbed the bridle more and more and just took the shortest way home, it all opened up on the rail.

"One thing about wet tracks if the horse is handling it there's no point scouting wide looking for better ground if they're getting through it. Just take the short cuts. I tried to get him as far down the straight without having to use the whip and then just gave him a couple of little taps that last furlong and he streaked away.

"Ate up the ground and I'm really proud to win this race."

The win was easily the biggest of Robb's career and came after former galloper Great Buy ran 11th in last year's final.

That marked Robb's first trip to the Country Championships Final and feature wins have become common in the time since, with another of the latest being Moetta in the Wellington Town Plate last month.

While Sizzle Minizzle ate up the heavy going on Saturday, the same couldn't be said for the other Dubbo contender in the race.

Smooth Esprit lined up in the race for Clint Lundholm and the trainer stated in the build-up he was hopeful of a dry surface given his gelding's struggles in the wet.

The conditions proved too much again on Saturday and Lundholm's six-year-old and $81 hope finished 11th.

"Shame the rain came for him," jockey Kerrin McEvoy said post-race.

"Clint had him in great order. Just didn't enjoy the conditions."