Latest news with #Grafton Cup
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Kempsey preview: Trainer John Shelton expecting strong showing from Hayley's Rocket
THE colours worn by one of the best milers of the 1980s could well be flying high at the final Northern Rivers region meeting of the 2024/25 season. Monday's wearer of Riverdale's red, white and yellow silks is Hayley's Rocket which is housed at Grafton by Kosciuskzo winning trainer John Shelton for close friend Brian Paine whose father, Ross, owned the aforementioned multiple stakes-winner. Bought in New Zealand as a yearling, Riverdale won over $500,000 in prizemoney, much of which as a consequence of his Epsom Handicap-Ampol Stakes (now the Cantala Stakes) double in 1984. Riverdale also won the Warwick Stakes, Gosford Gold Cup as well as a triumphant 'home town' win in the Grafton Cup. Brian Paine and wife Elizabeth together shelled out $14,000 for Hayley's Rocket at the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sale. A daughter of Blue Diamond winner Written By out of a mare by Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Bradbury's Luck, Hayley's Rocket is bred on a rare double-cross of Geoff and Beryl White's former crack colt, Iglesia. The Paine's would have been suitably buoyed by their filly's eye-catching debut in a deep Super Maiden on the recent South Grafton Cup undercard. 'I thought she went pretty good,'' Shelton said. 'She didn't have a lot of luck in the run, she was caught a little bit wide most of the race and she battled on to the line. 'She's got a good gate on Monday. There is a fair bit of depth in that maiden but she should acquit herself quite well.' Shelton meanwhile has taken over the training duties of regally-bred former Goulburn resident Shine Like It Does whose value is well and truly 'INXS' of her current earnings of $52,100 given she is a grand-daughter of Dane Ripper. Shine Like It Does broke her maiden at Moruya on June 27 prior to her closing fourth in a Class 2 mile at Grafton on Ramornie Day when saddled-up by Goulburn trainer Lucy Longmire. 'It was a credible run,'' Shelton said. 'I don't know what it is like on wet ground. 'Lucy left her up here for a couple of runs just to see what happens up here. 'She's done well since she has been here and is coming back from a Class 2 to a Benchmark 58. 'She's got a good rider (Luke Rolls) but she hasn't drawn that well so we'll just play it by ear.' Shelton's other runner on the final Northern Rivers district meeting on the 2024/25 season is three-year-old gelding Sources Link which lines up in the WIN Network Benchmark 58 Handicap (1450m). The son of Team Hawkes' Silver Slipper winner Headwater had his first five runs in Victoria under the care of Cox Plate winning trainer, Greg Eurell. Sources Link turned in a new P.B when making his NSW and Shelton stable debut in a 1000m Country Maiden, also on Ramornie Day. His Monday mission is the Plate over 1250m. 'His run was good the other day, he just got run off his feet,'' Shelton said. 'I thought he might be a little bit fresh but he looks like he wants 1200 or 1400m. 'We bought him as a second-hand horse out of Melbourne and he'll pay his way I think.' Sources Link will be ridden by Shelton's former apprentice, Ben Looker, whose tally of winners for his old boss currently stands at 119 with almost 200 placings.
The Australian
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Grafton preview: Will Hulbert hints at a Cup upset with Dillian
To say co-trainer Will Hulbert was surprised at the price of Dillian in the Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) would be an understatement. Hulbert is adamant Dillian should have won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Eagle Farm on May 31 and at least placed in the Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast last start and feels the $26 is way over the odds. 'To be brutally honest in my opinion, I think he has been slaughtered his last three starts,' said Hulbert who trains in partnership with his father, Peter. The imported gelding finished 10th in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup and last in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup behind Campaldino both times before an eighth to Half Yours in the Listed Caloundra Cup. The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! Prior to those three runs, he kicked off his campaign, his first for the stable, with back-to-back wins over 2050m at Doomben and 2400m at Eagle Farm. 'I think he should have run second in the Caloundra Cup, the Brisbane Cup, who knows if he can run two miles but being three-wide for the first 1000 metres doesn't help,' Hulbert said. 'In the QE II Cup, I've got no doubt in my mind he would have won that if he got clear air from the 800 metres. 'I would have thought Dillian would have been near favourite. 'We know he can definitely run the distance. 'I've got our old apprentice, Adin Thompson, on this week 'He doesn't need good luck to win, he just doesn't need bad luck. 'From barrier 4, he's going to get a nice run and if he gets clear running from the 800 metres, I think he will be the one to beat.' Joining Dillian in the Grafton Cup is fellow import Zoology who is also in his first preparation for the stable. The son of Zoustar pleased Hulbert on his first-up run over 1350m at Doomben despite beating just three home. The five-year-old then finished second over 1800m at the Sunshine Coast and third to Eaglemont over 1650m at Doomben before returning there last Saturday with a nice win over 2000m. 'He has shown a lot of ability from the first day her arrived in the stable,' Hulbert said. 'He was going really well leading into his first-up run for us but he just had to go back to near last from the barrier because I didn't want to give him a gut buster first-up. 'He still ran quite well and the form has been franked by The Inflictor. 'I thought he would win two starts ago over the mile at Doomben then I galloped him on the Saturday then when the data that came back from the Equimetre came back, I thought 'crap' he is looking for 2000 metres. 'That's was how he raced so we stepped him up to the 2000 metres last Saturday and he blew them away. He had a really good turn of foot at the end of it.' Apprentice Rob Thorburn rode Zoology a treat last weekend and Hulbert had no hesitation sticking with him in the Cup and isn't concerned by the five day back-up for the gelding. 'I had no intentions of taking Rob off at all,' he said. 'He rides a bit of work for me and has had 13 rides for five wins. 'The quick back-up back doesn't concern me at all. He pulled up extremely well. 'The only query is stepping up to the 2350 metres for the first time. 'From barrier 1, he's not going to spend any petrol for the first three-quarters of the race anyway so may as well through caution to the wind and see what happens.'
News.com.au
16-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Grafton preview: Co-trainer Will Hulbert believes the unlucky Dillian can gain redemption with victory in the Grafton Cup
To say co-trainer Will Hulbert was surprised at the price of Dillian in the Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) would be an understatement. Hulbert is adamant Dillian should have won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Eagle Farm on May 31 and at least placed in the Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast last start and feels the $26 is way over the odds. 'To be brutally honest in my opinion, I think he has been slaughtered his last three starts,' said Hulbert who trains in partnership with his father, Peter. The imported gelding finished 10th in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup and last in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup behind Campaldino both times before an eighth to Half Yours in the Listed Caloundra Cup. Dillian does the punters proud, dominating Race 2 at Eagle Farm! @HulbertRacing â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 26, 2025 The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! Prior to those three runs, he kicked off his campaign, his first for the stable, with back-to-back wins over 2050m at Doomben and 2400m at Eagle Farm. 'I think he should have run second in the Caloundra Cup, the Brisbane Cup, who knows if he can run two miles but being three-wide for the first 1000 metres doesn't help,' Hulbert said. 'In the QE II Cup, I've got no doubt in my mind he would have won that if he got clear air from the 800 metres. 'I would have thought Dillian would have been near favourite. 'We know he can definitely run the distance. 'I've got our old apprentice, Adin Thompson, on this week 'He doesn't need good luck to win, he just doesn't need bad luck. 'From barrier 4, he's going to get a nice run and if he gets clear running from the 800 metres, I think he will be the one to beat.' Joining Dillian in the Grafton Cup is fellow import Zoology who is also in his first preparation for the stable. The son of Zoustar pleased Hulbert on his first-up run over 1350m at Doomben despite beating just three home. The five-year-old then finished second over 1800m at the Sunshine Coast and third to Eaglemont over 1650m at Doomben before returning there last Saturday with a nice win over 2000m. Zoology pulls away and they couldn't catch him! ðŸ'¥ Rob Thorburn combines with @HulbertRacing to take out race 7 at Doomben. â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 12, 2025 'He has shown a lot of ability from the first day her arrived in the stable,' Hulbert said. 'He was going really well leading into his first-up run for us but he just had to go back to near last from the barrier because I didn't want to give him a gut buster first-up. 'He still ran quite well and the form has been franked by The Inflictor. 'I thought he would win two starts ago over the mile at Doomben then I galloped him on the Saturday then when the data that came back from the Equimetre came back, I thought 'crap' he is looking for 2000 metres. 'That's was how he raced so we stepped him up to the 2000 metres last Saturday and he blew them away. He had a really good turn of foot at the end of it.' Apprentice Rob Thorburn rode Zoology a treat last weekend and Hulbert had no hesitation sticking with him in the Cup and isn't concerned by the five day back-up for the gelding. 'I had no intentions of taking Rob off at all,' he said. 'He rides a bit of work for me and has had 13 rides for five wins. 'The quick back-up back doesn't concern me at all. He pulled up extremely well. 'The only query is stepping up to the 2350 metres for the first time. 'From barrier 1, he's not going to spend any petrol for the first three-quarters of the race anyway so may as well through caution to the wind and see what happens.'
