Last week was a week that most Grafton based trainers would well and truly like to put behind them following two separate attempts to conduct a meeting on their home track unfortunately thwarted by the weather.
Nevertheless it was time to head to Coffs Harbour last Friday in search of some fruit for the sideboard.
Scott Henley had entered Immortal Storm on a number of occasions with no joy as meetings were cancelled so was very keen to head to Coffs to get his preparation under way.
The 3yo was having his first start back from a spell and whilst he had been very consistent in his first preparation placing at all of his four starts that maiden win eluded him.
Ridden by Danny Peisley Immortal Storm was having his first start below 1000m when he contested the 805m Maiden. The gelding was a little slow to go before Peisley booted through along the inside to take the lead coming to the turn.
At the home turn Danny decided to head the outside fence on Immortal Storm in search of firmer ground, however he was not the lone ranger with that plan as the second favourite in the event was quick to follow suit.
In the end the two favoured runners came right down the outside with Immortal Storm finding enough to hold off his rivals.
Grafton’s next winner for the day came a few races later when the Wayne Lawson prepared Permission Denied led throughout to score an easy victory in the Class1 1405m.
Ridden by three kg claiming apprentice Poppie Gorton, Permission Denied was taken straight to the top and dictated terms to a nicety.
On the point of the turn Gorton allowed Permission Denied to move to the centre of the track before allowing the gelding to move further out well into the straight.
Permission Denied found plenty in the run to the finish racing away to win by almost five lengths. It his second win from his last three starts and his first this preparation following a solid first up fourth at Ballina a few weeks back.
This win continues an outstanding run of success being experienced by the Lawson yard which has recorded five wins from its last fourteen staters.
