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He may have lived in the shadow of a legend but to Pat Webster his former star Happy Clapper was the best horse he ever trained.

Happy Clapper, one of racing’s most popular and enduring gallopers, passed away on Wednesday night at age 14 following a bout of colic.

Pat Webster with Happy Clapper after his Epsom Handicap win in 2017.

The gelding won three Group 1s in his 48 start career and amassed over $7.3 million in prizemoney and became the first horse to have won Randwick three major miles – the Epsom Handicap (2017), Doncaster Mile (2018) and Villiers Stakes (now The Ingham) in 2015.

He was as well known for his own achievements on the track as he was for being a regular adversary for the great Winx, finishing second to her on five occasions including four at Group 1 level.

His last win was arguably one of his most exciting, in the 2019 Craven Plate on TAB Everest Day, where Tommy Berry made a midrace move to take Happy Clapper to the front and he defied the chasers to the roars of the crowd.

His swansong came in the 2020 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, his fifth attempt at the flagship race of The Star Championships, where he ran seventh behind Addeybb. He’d run third to Lucia Valentina in 2016 and to Winx in the 2018 edition.

But his defining moment, according to Webster, was his Doncaster Mile win in 2018.

“Happy Clapper was not only a champion racehorse who competed competitively against the likes of Winx, but also helped a lot of people through the drugs and alcohol program we have run through Racing NSW,” Webster said.

"Usually you get one shot at a title in these big races but he ran second to Winx in a Doncaster (2016) then he ran second to It's Somewhat the next year, then he won the Doncaster with 57kg and ran fast time.

"That day my heart was pumping because that was the race I always wanted and he won it for me.

"I don't know whether it was the name, Happy Clapper, but he just became so well known. I waited all those years, I was always around the target in Group 1s, you never think it's going to happen and he comes along and your training suits him.

"It's very sad, I thought Clapper was going to outlive me."

When he retired from racing in 2020, Happy Clapper became an ambassador for Team Thoroughbred NSW, alongside dual Everest winner Redzel, as he enjoyed a life of leisure while also highlighting opportunities for thoroughbreds beyond their racing careers.