Clark, who had been beaten in a photo finish in the Golden Eagle two weeks earlier, guided the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained General Salute ($10) to victory over Ciaron Maher's She's An Artist in the 1300m quality race. It was Clark's first win in the Hunter, the premier race at the home of his favourite team.
"It's been a carnival of near misses so I wasn't getting too carried away," Clark said. "It's obviously great to win. I'm a Newcastle Knights tragic, so to win a big race up this way is always good."
Sterling Alexiou said General Salute could target the $1 million Supernova at Pakenham in four weeks, noting that the gelding had overcome foot problems as a young horse and bone-chip surgery earlier this year.
Earlier, champion Sydney apprentice Siena Grima steered the Chris Waller-trained Ertijaaj ($8.50) to a length-and-a-quarter win in the 1400m benchmark 78 Izzy's Gift for fillies and mares. After the race, jockeys and helpers, including Neale's former boss Brett Robb, held a minute's silence.
"I got teary, I'm getting a bit emotional now," Grima said. "It's so great to win it for Izzy and her family, because she was beautiful and I miss her a lot."
Neale, 22, died after a race fall at Warren on Sunday. Grima, 24, said she had spoken to Neale at the races the day before.
Top local trainer Kris Lees scored his first win in the $300,000 Beauford (2300m) with Bestower, while Ciaron Maher's Lucky Lakota lunged late to deny Lees' Bronze Lion in the Max Lees Classic (900m). Dylan Gibbons, whose father Andrew rode extensively for champion Newcastle trainer Max Lees, drove Lucky Lakota to the win and said it was special given the family connection.
Waller assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said Katoto, who won the group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m), could be a candidate for the Vinery Stud Stakes in the autumn if she continued to relax well in her races.