Gary Clem finds his new stable star

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Gary Clem believes the search for his next cult hero to follow his former star King Klaus may be over ahead of saddling a small team on his home track at Bundaberg on Saturday.

Clem travelled to all parts of Queensland with King Klaus who finished his career with 16 wins and 10 placings and almost $320,000 in prizemoney.

King Klaus developed a cult like following prior to his retirement in December of 2024.

"I think I've found my next King Klaus and his name is Presocratics," Clem said.

"He'll run at Rockhampton next week where he's had two starts for two wins.

"Jason Taylor rode him at Rocky and he said he was a mini-King Klaus."

The hobby trainer prepares a team of five at Bundaberg and will be double handed with Corkscrew and Frosty Bear in the Open Handicap on Saturday.

Corkscrew is coming off a last start second in a 1000 metre Open Handicap at Gladstone on December 13.

Frosty Bear won at Bundaberg before a last start ninth to Track Tale in a Magic Millions Country Cup qualifier at Rockhampton on December 18.

Clem has been forced to start Corkscrew against open company sprinters even though he’s won only three times in 22 starts.

“He just wasn’t good enough last time at Gladstone and is only a 66 rater,” Clem said.

“He’s a former Melbourne horse who had a knee operation and is raced by the Martens family.

“This is a hard race and he’s got to take a big step up here.”

Frosty Bear has been a six-time winner since Clem took over training the gelding from Sunshine Coast trainer Billy Healey in July of 2023.

“He’s racing well and loves the Bundaberg track,” Clem said.

“He can be a bit slow out of the gates as he was last start as he goes to sleep in the starting stalls.

“If he jumps well, he’s a real flyer.

“He came to me as a maidener but he went bang, bang, bang and won three of his first four starts when I first got him.”