An incredible journey for a true trailblazer | Under the Auld Pump

Husband: Damien.

Parents: Maggie and Clive. Siblings: Rowena and Agnes.

Education: Allansford Primary School before going to Warrnambool College.

Sporting highlight: winning four group 1 races as a jockey.

Clare, let's talk about your sporting highlights shortly.

Firstly, I wish to talk about the 2008 VRC Derby when you rode Rebel Raider to victory.

Is it hard to believe it's 13 years since your name was etched into racing history?

Time has really flown, but I still remember the day pretty vividly - even though it was back in 2008.

One of the best things about the win of Rebel Raider in the VRC Derby was Leon MacDonald, who trained the horse.

Leon has been a wonderful supporter of mine.

I got a real thrill out of winning the time-honoured race for Leon.

I can remember getting clear on Rebel Raider at the 200-metre mark and going for home.

I was so happy once we hit the finish line.

My emotions took over for a few moments as I felt my legs had turned to jelly.

It was incredible to bring Rebel Raider back through the roses to the roars of the crowd.

It's something I'll never forget and it's got to rate as the most significant thing that happened in my riding career.

My parents were there and that made the win even more special.

Clare, Rebel Raider was a $100 chance to win the prestigious VRC Derby.

Did you rate the horse of having any chance of winning before the race?

I honestly thought he could finish in the top five.

Leon had Rebel Raider in wonderful condition and the horse was very fit to run the 2500 metres.

The plan was for me to be back in the run before making my run at the top of the straight.

Everything went to perfection.

I'll never forget how long the Flemington straight is - believe me it's a long way.

The adrenaline that filled my body over the concluding stages and after the race was quite incredible.

I knew I had to stay focused during the race because there had been a lot of hard work put in by Leon and the team in getting Rebel Raider ready to run in the Derby and I never wanted to let anyone down.

I was the first female jockey to ride a VRC Derby winner, which is really special.

Apart from winning the 2008 VRC Derby on Rebel Raider at that same carnival, you rode a horse for the late and great trainer Bart Cummings.

What are your memories of having a ride for Bart?

It was announced before the 2008 Derby on the Saturday that I would be riding Moatize for Bart in the Melbourne Cup on the Tuesday.

I was walking around feeling 10 feet tall after it was confirmed I would be riding Moatize for Bart.

Moatize ran sixth in the Melbourne Cup.

Moatize ran a top race.

Bart trained Viewed to win the Melbourne Cup in that year.

It was a huge thrill to be involved with the Cummings stable.

I had a good chat with Bart before and after the race.

It's something I'll always remember having a ride for Bart in the cup.

My first ride in a Melbourne Cup was in 2003 when I rode Debben for Leon.

I became only the third female and the very first Australian woman to ride in the Melbourne Cup.

My other ride was on Dolphin Jo, which finished the race fifth for trainer Terry O'Sullivan in the 2007 Melbourne Cup.

Clare, you won the 2005 Adelaide metropolitan jockeys premiership.

That must have been a great highlight?

It was a big highlight.

I felt after I won that title, I had finally made it riding in South Australia.

I found it really difficult to get established in the first few years that I rode in South Australia.

There were some very good jockeys riding in Adelaide at that time and one of those was Matthew Neilson.

He was a talented jockey.

Matthew was a very strong rider, but sadly an injury ended his career.

The metro premiership win came on the back of riding 111 winners across South Australia in 2003-2004.

Then, in 2006, I became the first Australian female rider to win an Adelaide Cup when I was successful on Exalted Time.

During your incredible riding career, you rode more than 1400 winners and was inducted into the South Australian Thoroughbred Racing Hall Of Fame.

They are wonderful achievements for a person who was raised in Warrnambool.

Do you come back to Warrnambool much?

Not that much because I'm very busy in Adelaide but I've never forgotten my times growing up in Warrnambool.

I can still remember as a 10-year-old, I asked my dad if I could get a pony.

He offered to take me to John Lee's tourist farm at Wangoom to ride a pony there.

Dad thought I would lose interest in horses but riding the pony only increased my passion.

I ended up joining the local Warrnambool Pony Club.

I was very lucky because I had great educations at Allansford Primary School and then Warrnambool College.

Frank Byrne was my first boss in my apprenticeship before my papers got transferred to the late Hamilton trainer Jack Barling.

What does Clare Lindop do now?

I work for Racing South Australia as the racing industry development and training officer.

It's a newly created role and I'm really loving it.

I'm working with all sections of the racing industry, including pony clubs and equestrian clubs.

For the past three years, I've been a councillor on the City Of Holdfast Bay in Adelaide.

I really enjoy being a councillor.

I think that comes from my time growing up around Warrnambool and seeing my parents helping out in the local communities.