WINNO'S WINNERS: GRAFTON CARNIVAL - DAY 5

By Darren Winningham | Saturday, July 11, 2020

GRAFTON – MACLEAN BOWLING CLUB CUP DAY – SUNDAY 12 JULY 2020

The final day of the GRAFTON CARNIVAL 2020 – and it features the MACLEAN CUP. The track has been posted as a SOFT for the meeting. The rail is in the true position for the entire course.

Sixties Groove won the Jack Iron Grafton Cup – carrying a massive weight – possibly the largest weight in over 50 years. The horse is trained at Newcastle by Kris Lees and what about the superb ride by Jason Collett to get him home – it was a marvellous effort!

There are seven races to be decided – it is time to hook into the form!

Race 1

A looooooong race over 3210 metres to start the day – they will all sleep well tonight!

Ethan Ensby won this race last year and he has two runners in the race.

Eliabella (6) is my pick to win. Matt McGuren will ride this four-year-old mare who comes off a solid run last Sunday.

Mike Beattie (CRJC Execitve Officer) owns Onset (8) who fought tenaciously on the line last weekend when going down narrowly. If she settles and Brooke Stower can sit in behind the speed, she should finish off strongly.

Selections:

6 – Eliabella
4 – Paris Crystal
8 – Onset
1 – Expiredtime

Race 2

Benchmark 58 – 1100 metres race – tough field this one!

Tony Newing has Gogh Fox (6) backing up after a solid win in maiden company last Sunday – Ben Looker retains the ride here.

The stablemate is In Fiore (1) who will be ridden by McGuren. He gets in well in this class but has a massive 63 kilograms to carry. All three career wins have come at this track – you must respect that record.

Colt Prosser trains Mosh Vain (8). The gelding has been racing consistently and must be put in the mix.

Selections:

6 – Gogh Fox
8 – Mosh Vain
1 – In Fiore
2 – Harnova

Race 3

The local runner She’s Leaven (12) has a tongue tie and some other gear changes for this race. This may see her show a marked improvement for trainer Greg Kilner. Leah Kilner stays aboard her back at her home track.

Old Man Timing (2), who resumes, is trained here by Shane Everson. His trial two weeks ago demonstrated that he will be ready to race well first up.

It is a tough maiden race with much unexposed form – keep your eye on any late market moves for a Good Old Grafton Go (a betting plunge)!

Selections:

12 – She’s Leaven
2 – Old Man Timing
4 – Runyoo
7 – Great Excitement
Rough chance: (9) La Cronica

Race 4

This is incredibly open race and a hard way to start the Quaddie.

Charmmebaby (4) has Matthew Bennett (the ranga with the big smile) riding for Bob Milligan. She resumed with a strong win at Taree in maiden company last start. She was strong on the line and I think will strip fitter for that effort.

Nanny’s Primed (5) raced here very well last Sunday and I expect will be ridden in behind the speed and surge home late. Kasie Stanley takes the reins again.

Queen Gina (9) peaked in her run last Sunday over 1215 metres. I think that dropping back here to 1100 metres she will be better suited.

This is a difficult assignment. Maybe we should keep our cash in our pockets and wait for an easier race.

Selections:

4 – Charmmebaby
5 – Nanny’s Primed
9 – Queen Gina
2 – Toffee Drop
Rough chance: (7) Hold All Tickets (10) Ruby Two Shoes

Race 5

Another maiden race – this time over 1700 metres.

Flying Euros (1), trained on the track by David Campbell, stormed home last Sunday over a mile. That extra 100 metres will suit him here. Belinda Hodder who has been in wonderful form riding winner after winner rides this three-year-old gelding for the first time.

Casirina (6) is only a two-year-old taking on the older horses. She raced well over a mile last start at Taree. She seemed to be working towards a win.

Les Amoureux (9) has been well supported in the early markets. He drops back from 1900 metres last start at Gosford back to 1700 metres. I just think he may struggle here – I like others in the race.

Selections:

1 – Flying Euros
9 – Les Amoureux
6 – Casirina
2 – Flying Mojo
Rough chances: (4) Sir Angus

Race 6

Another race over 1700 metres.

It looks like a battle between the two trainers who have had some great success over the Carnival. In the blue corner – Tony Newing. In the red corner Con Karakatsanis.

I am going for Con’s mare Miss Clambake (3) who won a maiden over a mile on Day 1 to just get the job done. Matthew McGuren has the ride for the stable. She has had only five starts and looks well placed.

Queen of Manhattan (6), Newing’s runner, was just unlucky on a wet shifting track at Murwillumbah last start. She could just turn up better here for that run on a firmer surface where she can settle and work home late.

Resplendance (8) is trained at Port Macquarie by Robert Agnew – who has been training winners since swapping the whip and saddle for the feed bin and mucking the stalls. He deserves his first Grafton Carnival winner after riding winners over the Carnival over many years – Good Luck mate! Ben Looker rides for him here.

Selections:

3 – Miss Clambake
6 – Queen Of Manhattan
8 – Resplendence
1 – Real Gent

Race 7 2020 MACLEAN BOWLING CLUB CUP

Our feature race on the last day of the Carnival. This race is always a tough affair with a solid field engaged again this year.

Stephen Lee and Jon Grisedale combine again looking to win another feature race over the Carnival after they took out the two-year-old feature race on Thursday with the $21 chance Freyas Cloak. In this race they have Nothingforthepress (3) who powered home late in the John Carlton Cup on Day 1 of the Carnival. If he throws up another run like that, stepping up to 1400 metres, he will be exceedingly difficult to hold out here.

After All That (4) is trained by Rodney Northam and apprentice Reece Jones comes to Grafton looking for his first winner on the track. Northam has won many feature races over this Carnival over the years – he knows what it takes to win a race at Grafton. I would think his biggest win would have been Big Money ridden by Robert Thompson to win the Ramornie in 2014. After All That seems to be on track to peak here in his fourth run back from a spell and the 1400 metres will not be an issue.

Herzegovina (7) is trained by Stephen Jones and will be ridden by Ashley Morgan. He has been racing over a mile recently and not really letting down. Back in distance here and on a drier track than he has raced on recently - look for an improved run.

Midweek Hussler (7) is on a rather quick back up after racing on Thursday over 1200 metres where he worked home well late. He must have eaten up and done well since that run to take his place in the field here this weekend. Kirk Matheson who claimed the John Carlton Cup on Day 1 is looking to bookend the Carnival in winning this race.

Selections:

3 – Nothingforthepress
4 – After All That
7 – Herzegovina
11 – Midweek Hussler
Rough chance: (5) Saxton Rock
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Jockey’s Challenge

Ben Looker and Matthew McGuren have some nice rides. A slight leaning Matt today!

Early Quaddie (races 1 to 4 NSW only)

2,4,6 / 1,6,8 / 2,4,12 / 2,4,5,9 - cost is $108 to $1

Value Early Quaddie (races 1 to 4 NSW only)

6 / 1,6 / 2,12 / 4,5,9 - cost is $12 to $1
Quaddie (races 4 to 7)

2,4,5,9 / 1,6,9 / 3,6,8 / 3,4,7,11 - cost is $144 to $1

Value Quaddie (races 4 to 7)

4,5,9 / 1,9 / 3,6 / 3,4 - cost is $24 to $1

Treble (races 5 to 7)

2,3,9,14 / 2,4,5,6 / 3,4,7 - cost is $48 to $1

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