Latest news with #GraftonCup
News.com.au
17-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Don Diego De Vega wins drama-filled Grafton Cup
There was no shortage of drama in the 2025 renewal of Thursday's $200,000 Grafton Cup (2350m). Race favourite Bear On The Loose was scratched just before the field was set to jump while second favourite Quietness ran off the track in the concluding stages and cost itself the race. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Quietness led the field of 12 and travelled strongly into the home bend before wandering about and opening the door for Don Diego De Vega to snatch the victory. Don Diego De Vega, trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, also found his way into the centre of the track under Zac Lloyd after coming from closer to the fence but didn't impede the run of any other horses in doing so. DON DIEGO DE VEGA wins the Grafton Cup! @ZacLloydx gets the best out of the @ANeashamRacing grey to take out the @clarenceriverjc 's feature race, running down Quietness with Zoology in third. @tabcomau — Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) July 17, 2025 It gives Lloyd his first win in the day two feature and he admitted he had to change plans after Bear On The Loose was a late withdrawal. 'My plan sort of changed in the barriers when Bear On The Loose got scratched as one of the speed runners in the race,' Lloyd said. 'Going to the gates he was full of energy so I was confident he was going to begin well and once he did that it made my job pretty easy. 'Got the perfect run behind Quietness and obviously it rolled off the fence and my bloke shot through. 'I probably should have changed my whip when he ran out but he was in front and it didn't matter.' Quietness fought back but was unable to bridge back the margin after losing all of its momentum and finished second for John O'Shea and Tom Charlton. Queensland raider Zoology ran on for third spot while Touristic was fourth.
Sydney Morning Herald
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Grafton Cup the ideal chance for Bear On The Loose to end winless streak
Like his name suggests, he's been on the loose trying to snap a winning drought that's stretched for more than a year. Thursday's feature Grafton Cup presents an ideal chance to restore that winning feeling. Bear On The Loose, a tough and still lightly raced five-year-old in the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott stable at Randwick, hasn't won since a debut Australian win in a BM 78 Hcp over 1800m at Rosehill in June 2024. That front-running effort in heavy going came nearly nine months after his last UK start, an 85-rating win to cap three victories in four outings before he was brought to Australia with a growing staying reputation. But stop-start campaigns and frustration kicked in through the second half of last year, with Bear On The Loose placed only once in four more starts up to group 3 level. He was then spelled before returning in autumn via a series of quiet trials, and looked primed for a big prep when he was edged out by a nose first-up at Hawkesbury in a strong BM 94 over a mile. Loading Since then, though, he has beaten all but the winner in four of his five runs, including the Listed Winter Cup at Rosehill and Caloundra Cup on the Sunshine Coast. Yet, Bear On The Loose has never been fitter, and better placed to claim a feature Listed country cup, and return to winning ways. Opening around $5 in betting behind early favourite Belvedere Boys ($4.20), Bear On The Loose's biggest danger could well be another British import following a similar timeline.
The Age
16-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Grafton Cup the ideal chance for Bear On The Loose to end winless streak
Like his name suggests, he's been on the loose trying to snap a winning drought that's stretched for more than a year. Thursday's feature Grafton Cup presents an ideal chance to restore that winning feeling. Bear On The Loose, a tough and still lightly raced five-year-old in the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott stable at Randwick, hasn't won since a debut Australian win in a BM 78 Hcp over 1800m at Rosehill in June 2024. That front-running effort in heavy going came nearly nine months after his last UK start, an 85-rating win to cap three victories in four outings before he was brought to Australia with a growing staying reputation. But stop-start campaigns and frustration kicked in through the second half of last year, with Bear On The Loose placed only once in four more starts up to group 3 level. He was then spelled before returning in autumn via a series of quiet trials, and looked primed for a big prep when he was edged out by a nose first-up at Hawkesbury in a strong BM 94 over a mile. Loading Since then, though, he has beaten all but the winner in four of his five runs, including the Listed Winter Cup at Rosehill and Caloundra Cup on the Sunshine Coast. Yet, Bear On The Loose has never been fitter, and better placed to claim a feature Listed country cup, and return to winning ways. Opening around $5 in betting behind early favourite Belvedere Boys ($4.20), Bear On The Loose's biggest danger could well be another British import following a similar timeline.
Herald Sun
16-07-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
Owner has faith teen rider can pull off miracle result in Grafton Cup in $101 outsider
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. 'Fairytales don't happen unless you allow them to happen.' This is the creed that Pure Deal owner Peter Wood lives by and why he has placed his trust in teenager Bella Youngberry to ride the seven-year-old gelding in the $200,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on Thursday. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The 19-year-old Youngberry rode Pure Deal to a narrow victory in a diving finish at $61 odds in the Grafton Cup Prelude (2230m) on July 6 to book a spot in the main event, where the daughter of Queensland Channel 9 weather presenter Garry Youngberry is ready to step up again. The son of Dundeel is a $101 chance in the Grafton Cup but that won't stop Wood, Gold Coast hoop Youngberry and trainer Brett Bellamy from believing that fairytales can happen to them. Wood already has a Grafton Cup on his CV after Rednav saluted in the 2016 edition at $31 after winning the cup prelude the week before. • 'Took my breath away': How Angela Jones wowed Gai Waterhouse 'Bella has got good ability and I like to back the apprentices,' said Wood, who lives in the tiny village Coramba, just a 15-minute drive from Coffs Harbour racetrack. 'If you watch the way she rode that horse in the prelude, you couldn't knock the ride in any shape or form. 'I never even thought about whether or not to put her in the (Grafton) Cup. I simply said to her 'if you want the ride, it's yours'. 'She's got the horse happy and the horse goes for her. It responds to everything that she wants it to do.' Pure Deal's owner Peter Wood (centre) with his brother John (left) and son Daniel at Eagle Farm last September. The last five Grafton Cups have been won by Group 1-winning jockeys but Wood sees the glass as half-full, saying it's overdue for a lesser light to grab the spoils. Blake Shinn, with 31 Group 1s to his name, is undoubtedly the star hoop in Thursday's field and will ride $4.40 chance Belvedere Boys for trainer Matt Dunn. • 'No dodging Via Sistina': Gollan keeps focus on Cox Plate 'Just the ride itself for Bella and the experience is going to help her tenfold,' Wood said about Youngberry, who is in only her second season of riding. 'We need to let these apprentices experience what it's all about. They can't do it if they don't get the chance. 'There's absolutely no way I would have considered another jockey given the work that Bella has already put into the horse. 'You've got to weigh 54kg so that limits who you can get as well. In the end it wasn't a hard decision. She won't let us down, whether we win, lose or draw.' Bella Youngberry riding a winner at Cairns in September last year. Picture: Brendan Radke Wood paid just $1500 last month from an online Inglis Sale for Pure Deal, who raced across southeast Queensland from 2020 to 2022 for Brisbane trainer Bevan Laming before being sent to Victoria to compete, mainly in jumps and hurdles races. His previous race before the Grafton Cup Prelude was a 3400m hurdle event at Sandown Lakeside on June 1. • Childhood memories fuel Gibbons' Ramornie dream Wood said he was cashed up after winning his first Highway race as an owner when Lordster saluted over 1200m at Rosehill on July 5, and he took the $61 odds on offer for Pure Deal the following day in the cup prelude. 'He's been rejuvenated working on the beaches at Coffs Harbour,' Wood said. 'There's no reason not to run him on Thursday at Grafton. He's an outsider and you'd have to say it'll be a huge ask. 'But we've got a horse who's feeling good and he'll definitely run the distance.' Originally published as Owner Peter Wood has faith teen rider Bella Youngberry can pull off miracle result in Grafton Cup in $101 outsider Pure Deal
News.com.au
16-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Owner Peter Wood has faith teen rider Bella Youngberry can pull off miracle result in Grafton Cup in $101 outsider Pure Deal
'Fairytales don't happen unless you allow them to happen.' This is the creed that Pure Deal owner Peter Wood lives by and why he has placed his trust in teenager Bella Youngberry to ride the seven-year-old gelding in the $200,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on Thursday. The 19-year-old Youngberry rode Pure Deal to a narrow victory in a diving finish at $61 odds in the Grafton Cup Prelude (2230m) on July 6 to book a spot in the main event, where the daughter of Queensland Channel 9 weather presenter Garry Youngberry is ready to step up again. The son of Dundeel is a $101 chance in the Grafton Cup but that won't stop Wood, Gold Coast hoop Youngberry and trainer Brett Bellamy from believing that fairytales can happen to them. Wood already has a Grafton Cup on his CV after Rednav saluted in the 2016 edition at $31 after winning the cup prelude the week before. 'Bella has got good ability and I like to back the apprentices,' said Wood, who lives in the tiny village Coramba, just a 15-minute drive from Coffs Harbour racetrack. 'If you watch the way she rode that horse in the prelude, you couldn't knock the ride in any shape or form. 'I never even thought about whether or not to put her in the (Grafton) Cup. I simply said to her 'if you want the ride, it's yours'. 'She's got the horse happy and the horse goes for her. It responds to everything that she wants it to do.' The last five Grafton Cups have been won by Group 1-winning jockeys but Wood sees the glass as half-full, saying it's overdue for a lesser light to grab the spoils. Blake Shinn, with 31 Group 1s to his name, is undoubtedly the star hoop in Thursday's field and will ride $4.40 chance Belvedere Boys for trainer Matt Dunn. 'Just the ride itself for Bella and the experience is going to help her tenfold,' Wood said about Youngberry, who is in only her second season of riding. 'We need to let these apprentices experience what it's all about. They can't do it if they don't get the chance. 'There's absolutely no way I would have considered another jockey given the work that Bella has already put into the horse. 'You've got to weigh 54kg so that limits who you can get as well. In the end it wasn't a hard decision. She won't let us down, whether we win, lose or draw.' Wood paid just $1500 last month from an online Inglis Sale for Pure Deal, who raced across southeast Queensland from 2020 to 2022 for Brisbane trainer Bevan Laming before being sent to Victoria to compete, mainly in jumps and hurdles races. His previous race before the Grafton Cup Prelude was a 3400m hurdle event at Sandown Lakeside on June 1. Wood said he was cashed up after winning his first Highway race as an owner when Lordster saluted over 1200m at Rosehill on July 5, and he took the $61 odds on offer for Pure Deal the following day in the cup prelude. 'He's been rejuvenated working on the beaches at Coffs Harbour,' Wood said. 'There's no reason not to run him on Thursday at Grafton. He's an outsider and you'd have to say it'll be a huge ask. 'But we've got a horse who's feeling good and he'll definitely run the distance.'
