зачем что-то приписывать к клону, если потом всегда можно сделать чекаут нужной ветки?
mitya@m18:/home/git/src# git checkout remotes/origin/stable/12
Updating files: 100% (30185/30185), готово.
Note: switching to 'remotes/origin/stable/12'.
You are in 'detached HEAD' state. You can look around, make experimental
changes and commit them, and you can discard any commits you make in this
state without impacting any branches by switching back to a branch.
mitya@m18:/home/git/src# git branch
* (HEAD отделён на origin/stable/12)
main
mitya@m18:/home/git/src# git pull
warning: Pulling without specifying how to reconcile divergent branches is
discouraged. You can squelch this message by running one of the following
commands sometime before your next pull: