Daniel Want was the first to celebrate when RIP SPARKLER broke his duck in the Maiden 1708m.
Ridden by Matthew Bennett the gelding was given the perfect run in third before Bennett secured a dream run right along the rail to not go around a horse it proved a winning move with RIP SPARKLER holding on to a slender margin in the run to the post.
Winner number two for the day was provided by Andrew Parramore who elected to step back in distance with BOZEMAN to win the Class1 1005m.
Parramore is confident the gelding will run 1400m as he matures but Monday provided the right race at the right time and a well judged ride by Matthew Paget provided the rest.
Allowed to settle outside the leader Paget did little or no work on the gelding in the early and middle stages this left BOZEMAN with a strong kick below the 200m to race away and win with plenty in reserve.
No doubt Andy the long lost “Leyland Brother” will be keen to be on the road again shortly with BOZEMAN who has now raced on six different tracks from his eight career runs.
The final race of the day saw an all Grafton finish when the Jason Reilly trained MINISTRY OF FEAR got up in the final stride to beat the Shane Everson trained Ilia.
The BM 58 over 1205m provided the gelding with his fifth career win from thirty five starts.
Ridden by Raymond Spokes MINISTRY OF FEAR the horse that came back from the dead after a horror fall at Kempsey in May 2017 has now won a race at each of his three preparations since that fateful day.
On Monday Spokes allowed him to settle midfield the fence before weaving his way into the clear below the 200m to gain the ascendancy right on the line.