Gutsy effort helps Clark salute in Hunter to end unlucky streak

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General Salute lifted late to give Tim Clark and the Ryan-Alexiou yard a first victory in the $1 million Hunter.

After some recent near misses, including a photo-finish defeat to Skyhook on Decorum in the $10 million Golden Eagle, jockey Tim Clark was only hopeful that General Salute had held off She’s An Artist in the $1 million The Hunter at Newcastle.

The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained six-year-old had an epic battle with Ciaron Maher-trained She’s An Artist ($7), an emergency early in the week, late in the 1300m quality before the result went the way of General Salute ($10).

It was a memorable first win on the Hunter day program for the Rosehill stable, which had a career-best victory two weeks earlier in the Golden Eagle at Randwick.

The success also gave Clark a first win in the $1 million Hunter, the premier race at the home of his favourite team.

“It’s been a carnival of near misses so I wasn’t getting too carried away,” Clark said.

“It’s obviously great to win. I’m a Newcastle Knights tragic, so to win a big race up this way is always good.

“I was a halfback back in the day and loved Joey [Andrew Johns], and I’m a Central Coast boy these days, so not far away.

“It’s always been a happy hunting ground and these are the races you try to set yourself up and target, and get on the right horse.

“He’s a horse I’ve really enjoyed riding. He hasn’t won all that often, but he’s never far away.”

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