TOUCH OF GRACIE ROCKS THEM AT ROCKHAMPTON

By Graham Potter | Sunday, April 28, 2024

Touch Of Gracie made it back-to-back wins when she landed a BM58 Handicap over 1300m at Rockhampton on The Archer Raceday, April 28.

While the big prize for the Corey and Kylie Geran stable went missing one race earlier ... the Geran and KO & KC Thoroughbred Racing Group team had Nikau Spur in the $775 000 feature ... Touch Of Gracie’s powerhouse performance in the last race on the card meant to day would have a happy ending.

A winner over the same distance at Toowoomba in her last start in a result which underlined the solid progress she was making, Touch Of Gracie topped the betting boards at $3, and justified that status when, for the second time in a row, she produced a sustained run in the long home straight to carry the day by a 0.88 length margin.

Andrew Mallyon was in the saddle this time. The inside draw and Touch Of Gracie’s willingness at the start allowed Mallyon to navigate a favourable early path which saw Touch Of Gracie take up a comfortable position on the rail, trailing the lead by some four lengths in the first half of the race.

Early in the straight, when in sixth place, Mallyon made the decision to get Touch Of Gracie off the rail, angling out four wide looking for clear galloping room.

At the 450m mark Touch Of Grace was carried out marginally when another runner shifted ground but, from that moment, she had her desired clear run to the line.
Touch Of Gracie took a few strides to gather momentum but, when she did, she quickly ranged up into contention, to the degree that she was already in front inside the final 200m.

Just as it was in her win at Toowoomba though, she had another runner keeping her honest as All The Shops ($13) kept snapping at Touch Of Gracie’s heels until the very last stride and, yet again, Touch Of Gracie never flinched, staying on strongly over the concluding stages to score with something in hand and clinch a rousing double success.

Mallyon’s move at the top of the straight was a winning won, but it needed Touch Of Gracie to play her part over the last 200m to ensure the result ... and she did that with some aplomb.

Touch Of Gracie has now had six starts since relocating to the Corey and Kylie Geran stable for two three wins and three minor placings, making her as yet another more than useful purchase for the KO & KC Thoroughbred Racing Group

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