It was a huge day for Grafton trained horses on Monday with four of the eight races going to Grafton prepared runners.
First celebrating was team Shelton when Tobasco continued his hot run of form to made it three on the bounce when he won the BM 58 1015m.
Tobasco was again piloted by Ben Looker who has also been aboard for his previous two victories Tobasco went straight to the front and dictated terms to suit himself before finding plenty in the run to the line to win with something in hand.
The trick with Tobasco now will be trying to find suitable races for him as he keeps going up in the benchmarks.
Chris Manson like John Shelton has been in white hot form with the old stager Heza Magic Man also making it a picket fence when he bolted in over the 1620m of the the BM 58.
Like Tobasco, Heza Magic Man has been ridden by Ben Looker in all of his three victories.
Heza Magic Man started his preparation in a rough way when he hung out badly at Lismore and had to go back to the trials.
Enter stage right Ben Looker who partnered the gelding in a trial at Coffs Harbour followed up by a start at Armidale where he found the track a touch tricky and finished unplaced.
However back on the bigger circuit at Grafton and Heza Magic Man just keeps going from strength to strength with three in a row at his home track all at around the mile where he can use his speed to break the hearts of his rivals.
The old racing saying of where there is smoke there is a BBQ could not have been more to the fore than in the Maiden 1115m when the Wayne Lawson trained Lettmego scored a solid win for Emily Atkinson.
At Grafton just two weeks ago Lettmego was off the map but finished down the track in a Maiden after being slowly away and getting much further back than expected.
Yesterday with an even start Lettmego settled just off the pace before shifting into the open on the point of the home turn and then coming with a well timed run to overhaul the favorite in the shadows of the post and win running away.
The win gave Wayne Lawson his first for the season and helped cover the disappointment of having to scratch stable star Dominant Crown from an earlier race when no suitable rider was available.
Racing can be a game of luck but sometimes it can also be a game of skill and Matt McGuren showed all of his when he produced the ride of the day to win on the Cathy Chapman trained Glycine Max in the BM 58 2230m.
In what had been a slowly run race Mcguren got on his bike at the 900m and in what seemed like an instant went from being a distant second last to be two lengths in front.
There is no doubt this was a winning move with every other runner being immediately off the bit and chasing.
Although Glycine Max looked out on his feet a few times in the straight in the end he simply outstayed his rivals to score a strong win off a tip top ride.
The win was the second for the Chapman yard this season both on her home track.
Pic Glycine Max outstays his rivals.
Photo supplied by Trackside Photography 07 32165685
