wxSearchCtrl and mouse down problem

I am trying to use wxSearchCtrl such that clicking in it will clear
the initially placed value, but having a problem

The problem is that the mouse LeftDown event only works if you
click in a precise place in the SearchCtrl, which is just to the right of
the bitmap. This isn't the case in a TextCtrl, in which you click
anywhere and it will generate the mouse down event.

I have attached a runnable sample that shows this difference. I am
not sure what the issue is, though I imagine it has something to do
with the control's built-in showing of the word "search" as a default
or something like that. But I would like the SearchCtrl to be able
to be clicked *anywhere* in it and have that generate the event and thus
clear it.

Any help is appreciated. Runnable sample follows:

#
#Boa:Frame:Frame1

import wx

def create(parent):
return Frame1(parent)

[wxID_FRAME1, wxID_FRAME1PANEL1, wxID_FRAME1SEARCHCTRL1,
wxID_FRAME1STATICTEXT1, wxID_FRAME1STATICTEXT2, wxID_FRAME1TEXTCTRL1,
] = [wx.NewId() for _init_ctrls in range(6)]

class Frame1(wx.Frame):
def _init_ctrls(self, prnt):
# generated method, don't edit
wx.Frameinit__(self, id=wxID_FRAME1, name='', parent=prnt,
pos=wx.Point(298, 205), size=wx.Size(344, 164),
style=wx.DEFAULT_FRAME_STYLE, title='Frame1')
self.SetClientSize(wx.Size(336, 130))

self.panel1 = wx.Panel(id=wxID_FRAME1PANEL1, name='panel1',
parent=self,
pos=wx.Point(0, 0), size=wx.Size(336, 130),
style=wx.TAB_TRAVERSAL)

self.searchCtrl1 = wx.SearchCtrl(id=wxID_FRAME1SEARCHCTRL1,
name='searchCtrl1', parent=self.panel1, pos=wx.Point(16, 88),
size=wx.Size(296, 21), style=0,
value=u'this only works if you click just to the right of the
bitmap')
self.searchCtrl1.Bind(wx.EVT_LEFT_DWN, SearchCtrl1LeftDown)

self.textCtrl1 = wx.TextCtrl(id=wxID_FRAME1TEXTCTRL1,
name='textCtrl1',
parent=self.panel1, pos=wx.Point(16, 32), size=wx.Size(299,
21),
style=0, value=u'try to clear this by clicking in it
anywhere')
self.textCtrl1.Bind(wx.EVT_LEFT_DWN, TextCtrl1LeftDown)

self.staticText1 = wx.StaticText(id=wxID_FRAME1STATICTEXT1,
label=u'A SearcCtrl clearing unless',
name='staticText1', parent=self.panel1, pos=wx.Point(16, 72),
size=wx.Size(189, 13), style=0)

self.staticText2 = wx.StaticText(id=wxID_FRAME1STATICTEXT2,
label=u'A TextCtrl clear by clicking anywhere',
name='staticText2', parent=self.panel1, pos=wx.Point(16, 16),
size=wx.Size(203, 13), style=0)

def __init__(self, parent):
self._init_ctrls(parent)
#(False)

def SearchCtrl1LeftDown(self, event):
self.searchCtrl1.Clear()

def TextCtrl1LeftDown(self, event):
self.textCtrl1.Clear()

if __name__ == '__main__':
app = wx.PySimpleApp()
frame = create(None)
frame.Show()

app.MainLoop()