It was indeed unusual that at the first Grafton meeting back not one local trainer was able to prepare a winner but at the second meeting for the year yesterday the tide had well and truly turned.
The day started with a Maiden 1006m and what a Maiden it was with newbie trainer Shannon Manwarring breaking his own maiden status when Benetti came with a well timed run to score running away.
Manwarring has been part of the Grafton racing landscape for a few years now but only saddled up his first starter just on twelve months ago. Since that time Manwarring has taken five separate horses to the races without a winner and whilst most of those have been moved on or retired it was former Victorian Benetti which was having its second run for the yard that provide a very exciting Manwarring with his first winner.
Manwarring was keen for his good mate B Looker to ride his first winner and that plan was well in place until a confused Looker accepted the ride on one of his form master John Shelton horses on Monday before Benetti which was fourth emergency was confirmed as a starter.
In the end Manwarring scooped up the skills of Looker’s stablemate Ashley Morgan who produced an almost perfect ride to get Benetti home.
As for Looker it took him a while to be disappointed because he was over forty two lengths astern in last place. It’s a tough gig this racing game.
Like our first winner the second Grafton winner for the day was also a former Victorian this time from the Greg Howells yard.
Ultimate Man was having his second run from a break and ridden by inform apprentice Jackson Searle came from well back in the field to score a final stride victory in the Rising Star heat 1410m for apprentice riders.
Ultimate Man has been as consistent as you could possibly hope for since joining the Howell’s team in April of 2021. In eight runs for the stable he has now recorded two wins two seconds and three thirds with his only unplaced run being a very solid sixth in the Big Maiden on Grafton Cup day over an unsuitable distance.
Ultimate Man is raced in partnership by the Howell’s partner Paula Cleal and the extended Wicks family headed by Rowan who has been a staple of Grafton racing for in excess of fifty years.
Whilst many trainers in Grafton have taken the road pioneered by Simon Trevitt in the 1970s by purchasing tried horses to make up the bulk of their team, Cathy Chapman in the words of Frank Sinatra likes to do it “My Way”.
Cathy’s preferred way is to race and then breed, see the joy of watching them grow from babies to winners.
In the Class 1 1181m for colts and geldings one from the farm got the prize and what a result for the family it was.
Taikun Tommy scored his second win in a twelve-start career. Ridden by Olivia Pickering the gelding settled well back in a quickly run race and came sweeping down the outside to gain the lead only a few meters form the finish post but such was his finishing burst he won by almost a length running away.
Taikun Tommy is raced by Cathy’s sister Judy strapped by her son’s partner Phoebe and is truly a Chapman born and bred.
Taikun Tommy’s dam Taikun Princess was raced by Cathy and won at her final race start in 2012 before being retired to stud. In that win Princess was ridden by Kasie Stanley. His sire Primus was resident sire at Cathy’s Southgate farm for a few seasons before heading home to Victoria.
Fast forward to 2019 and Kasie Stanley was also aboard Taikun Prince the younger half brother to Tommy when he was successful at Casino. Ironically Kasie was the regular ride of Taikun Tommy before an injury enforced layoff saw her replaced by Jodi Worley for the geldings first win.
I am pretty sure Cathy has some more progeny of Taikun Princess getting ready to also blow the opposition off the park.
