With Grafton racing about to return to full swing it is time to reflect on the performances of the hot stables over the Christmas New Year Period.
Grafton’s newest addition to the training ranks Lisa Shepard started her Grafton career in fine style when stable star Racketeering resumed at the Coffs Harbour Showcase in late December.
Ridden by Ashley Morgan the gelding produced a solid finish to win the BM 66 1310m. Although forced to race in the worst of the track Racketeering came from well back at the 300m to win with plenty of authority.
It took his record to three wins from just nine starts with the only disappointing part to the win being the realisation that as Racketeering has moved from the MNCRA to the NRRA in the past few months he is now not eligible to contest the rich upcoming Newhaven Park Country Championships.
Fleur Blanch commenced 2022 on the right note when the lightly raced Tigertude scored a very impressive win at Ballina in a Maiden 1310m on January 2.
Ridden by Anthony Allen Tigertude settled well back in the field before shifting into clear air on the point of the home turn. By the time the 200m mark was reached it was clear Tigertude was going to be in the finish as he was quickly making ground between runners. When the judge called a halt Tigertude was going away to score a solid win.
Some Christmas presents are just better than others and when Shane Everson’s loved ones banded together for Christmas 2020 to purchase Memphis Squaw although they were confident it would be better received than the old socks and undies they could not have possibly hoped for the result they got.
Memphis Squaw resumed from a break at Taree on January 11 and ridden by stable apprentice Olivia Pickering was simply far too good for her rivals in the BM 58 1005m.
It is fair to say that the celebrations were very shorted lived when Memphis Square did a sharp left hand turn past the winning post and dislodged Olivia. The good news was that Olivia did not suffer any serious injury and was back at the races three days later.
The win by Memphis Squaw was her third since joining the Everson yard and took her earnings to almost $60K, that sounds like the Christmas gift that just keeps on giving.
Stable Everson kept on the winning way at Ballina Cup Meeting when Hidden Trust led throughout to win the Showcase Maiden 1000m.
Ridden by Travis Wolfgram the gelding skipped away on the point of the home turn and was simply too fast for its rivals. It was only the third start for the 5yo gelding and his first run this preparation.
To top off what was an amazing week for Shane Everson the horse that refuses to run a bad race Old Timing Man was again in the winners circle at Lismore.
Ridden by Jon Grisedale Old Timing Man was having his twenty seventh start for the preparation which commenced way back in November 2020 when beaten into second place in a non tab Bowraville Maiden 1000m. Since then however he has recorded six wins and over $84K in prizemoney.
Everson will be the first to tell you he would love to send Old Timing Man to the paddock but how do you send a horse that has won three of his last four for a spell when he is doing well and racing well. I guess it is not a bad problem to have.
