Sam Clipperton drew a blank riding at Randwick’s Group One meeting on Sunday but got a special satisfaction out of returning to win a humble Class Four on Sunday on E Master.

The Manfred Man Ka-leung-trained four-year-old had been something of a project for the jockey this season and the work paid off with a narrow but promising victory at his first racecourse appearance.

“It’s nice to win on a horse when you’ve been part of the process of developing him and getting him to the races,” Clipperton said.

“I’ve been with him the whole way and I trialled him on the carnival day before the season started and he was midfield but he was very green and wasn’t too bad. Then I trialled him again and he won down the straight and he improved out of sight. And today he improved again and I was so proud of how hard he tried.”

Taking up the box seat behind leader Multigogo, E Master was presented with a new proposition when he straightened for home and a gap appeared.

“He wasn’t sure what to do, what was going on but what he did know was that he was supposed to try and that’s what he did,” Clipperton said. “He’ll gain a bit from that too.”

In his first season, Clipperton’s major support came from the leading yard of John Moore but that isn’t the case now Tommy Berry has arrived as the stable rider.

As a freelancer, Clipperton knows that winning for solid supporters like Man, and others, is key to taking the next step in his career.

“I think Manfred was the first trainer I rode work for when I arrived in Hong Kong. He also gave me my first winner for him last season and that was on Red Elysee, who was also a first starter,” he said.

“We’ve had a good connection and Manfred is giving me good support this season so it’s great when I can pay him back like this.”