McLean backs Potter to make her mark

By Jordan Gerrans

Gold Coast trainer Stephen McLean believes apprentice jockey Sophie Potter has the right attitude to succeed in Queensland as she prepares to begin a loan period.

Potter, the daughter of former rider Justin, has plied her trade in South Australia over the last few years, where she has quickly made her mark as a jockey on the rise.

Keen to test herself in the Sunshine State, the 21-year-old is set to link up with McLean at Aquis Park for an initial three-month loan.

Potter is also the partner of top Queensland apprentice Jace McMurray, which was instrumental in her decision to move north.

The young jockey is set for her first ride in her new venture at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club on Friday night, partnering Uluwatu in the Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1300 metres.

“She's a nice girl from all the conversations I've had with her,” McLean said.

“She seems to have the right attitude to give it a fair crack.

“It's a typical thing in racing; she's just going to need the right luck and hopefully it falls her way.”

Fellow Gold Coast trainer Adam Campton initially pointed Potter in the direction of McLean as a stable to base herself out of if she was keen to relocate.

McMurray, who was crowned the champion apprentice in the city last season, spent time under Campton during his apprenticeship, as well.

“Sophie got in touch with me and said that she was keen to come up and obviously give it a crack up here,” McLean said.

“I was happy to support her in that sense of giving her a base to help her be able to move around.”

Potter has been riding since May of last year and has 64 winners to her name.

In South Australia last season, she won the apprentice and senior titles in the country region, despite missing significant portions of the campaign through injury.

She heads north in strong form, having ridden seven winners so far this month.

She will claim two kilograms at a provincial level.

“It's a bit of a daunting step making the move, but it's something I'll benefit from a lot,” Potter told Racenet.

“Having that bit of claim still in the country and claiming in the provincials made it the perfect time to come over.

“Once you run out of that claim, if you haven't taken any opportunities or risks, you kind of end up stationary. So, I've just got to back myself and do it.

“Once I did trackwork and a jump-out at the start of my career, I just fell in love with it. You can't beat that feeling.”

McMurray has made the move to the city of late, but his experience on country and provincial tracks should be important in helping Potter learn the lay of the land around the state.

“If I need a bit of help, I'll ask him, ‘Can you watch this, could I have done any more on it?' and he'll give his opinion,” Potter told Racenet.

“Sometimes I don't love his opinion. But, we have a really good balance where we can talk racing together, but also just live life as normal people.

“People in Adelaide floated the idea of going metro, but I just want to improve my riding more.

“Queensland is a great opportunity to build new connections, push myself and be surrounded by top riders.”

Meanwhile, McLean was glad to see Webinar break through at Warwick earlier this month at his third career start.

Ridden by Aidan Keeley, Webinar put on a dominant effort to score over 1500 metres by more than three lengths.

“He ran good,” McLean said.

“He's been a true test of patience, that's for sure. He's had a couple of extremely minor hiccups along the way, where it's been a case of pull up, go out to the paddock.

“I've got a few races in mind for him in the coming weeks over more distance.

“He is well-bred, so there's something in the bloodlines there that suggests that there's a bit of quality about him.

“He is just a bit immature at this stage and needed those runs over an unsuitable distance to get him up to 1500 metres at Warwick.

“I strongly feel that he's a horse that's going to appreciate getting to a mile or more.”

The McLean stable has Battleton nominated for the Open Handicap over 1400 metres at the Gold Coast Turf Club on Saturday, but the gelding is unlikely to go around in wet conditions.

The 34-year-old horseman says his stable is set for a busy period in the coming months.

He has 17 horses in work, with plenty of young stock in the paddock, as well.

“Scheherazade is nearly ready to go back to the races,” he said.

“Eye Of The Eagle is nearly ready to go back to the races.

“Then hopefully there's a couple of nice three-year-olds that are nearly ready to go.

“Harry's Back, he ran second to Esperanza, he's come back from a setback in the winter. 

"Touch wood, he's heading in the right direction. Hopefully he'll be at the races before Christmas.”