Johnston-Porter Wins Touchstone Farm Rising Star Series

Clint Johnston-Porter’s rise in the apprentice ranks took another step forward when he clinched the 2015 Touchstone Farm Rising Star Series at the completion of Ascot’s Melbourne Cup meeting on Tuesday.

It caps a successful year for Johnston-Porter who dead-heated with Jordan Turner as Leading Country Apprentice at Racing and Wagering Western Australia’s (RWWA) Apprentice awards held in August.

Johnston-Porter, indentured to the state’s leading trainer, Adam Durrant, lead for the majority of the series after claiming the lead from, Lucy Warwick, and defeated runner-up Randy Tan and Jake Casey.

Turner, last year’s Touchstone Farm Rising Stars champion, finished fourth, just ahead of Warwick, who was unable to claim points at the final three meetings of the series after her elevation to senior riding ranks.

Casey made a late dash to snatch the first prize away from Johnston-Porter, but despite an Ascot double on Stocks, for his trainer father, Sean and Drupa, trained by Jim Taylor, he fell 18 points adrift.

RWWA: Julio Santarelli