DONOVAN Clarke could have easily given up horse racing after having his riding career cut short due to a weight issue. Instead, he focused on the training part of it and saw immediate success.

Clarke, who graduated as a jockey in 1986 alongside classmates Trevor Simpson and Joseph Buchanan, rode 27 winners before his promising career was wrecked due to his inability to control his weight.

“I started out as a jockey but, you know, weight issues cut my riding career short. I got my riding licence in 1986 and quit riding in the 1990s. On April 7, 1986 I won my first race as a jockey riding Go John, a horse trained by Frank Parham.

“Go John was also my first ride, which added to the significance of that victory,” Clarke told the Jamaica Observer’s The Supreme Racing Guide.

Clarke graduated from the Jamaica Racing Commission Trainers’ Training programme on May 12, 2023 as one of 39 conditioners. Four months later, on September 10, Clarke won his first race as a licensed trainer with Bern Notice.

Bern Notice, ridden by Raddesh Roman, won a three-year-old and upward Claiming ($750,000-$700,000) event going one mile (1,600m). The five-year-old chestnut horse won by 2¼ lengths ahead of Crimson (Richard Henry) and Katalina (Javaniel Patterson) in a time of 1:42.2 (25.0 x 48.4 x 1:15.4).

“I am elated. I am a very happy man knowing that I have won my first race as a trainer. Trainer Patrick Lynch was the one who had encouraged me to become a trainer.

“I was struggling with my weight as a jockey and Lynch encouraged me to transition into a trainer. I took up the opportunity and did my work with Michael Marlowe and here I am today,” Clarke explained.

“The training part comes pretty much easy because I have worked with many horses as a jockey and I got all the instructions from the trainers on how to programme the horses. But the nutrition part of it, we had to go to the school and learn about it and it was helpful,” he continued.

Commenting on the performance of the horse, Clarke credited Roman for delivering the goods.

“He [Roman] worked the horse for me in the mornings and so he understands the horse from he was over ‘Baba’ Nunes. I didn’t have to give him too many instructions as he is a top-notch jockey.

“I am taking it one day at a time, I am a patient man. I have a couple of two-year-olds and so let’s see how they come out,” Clarke ended.