Latest news with #Kosciuszko
ABC News
5 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Inside the lifesaving huts scattered throughout Australia's high country
In the middle of a white-out with howling winds and -5 degree Celsius temperatures, Karen Buckner was trying to reassure her three primary-school aged children they were not going to die. It was summer in Kosciuszko National Park, but a blizzard had blown in rapidly and surrounded the family of hikers. Visibility was next to nothing. Studying the map, Karen decided to aim for the shelter of Millers Hut, a "really, really, tiny" shack, she said, built by brothers from second-hand materials over two days in the 1940s. Millers Hut was lifesaving for the Buckner family during an unexpected summer blizzard. ( Supplied: Kosciuszko Huts Association ) For the Buckner family from Newcastle, seeing the one-room, corrugated-iron hut through the blistering, white wind was lifesaving. "It's this huge relief," Karen said. "There's no shelter out there at all. You have all your gear for safety, but to have the shelter of four walls and a roof is a lot. "It certainly saved our family's life." The Buckner family huddled around a fire in Millers Hut, which they say saved their lives. ( Supplied: Karen Buckner ) They bunkered down for three nights on their 2012 hike, praying the weather would change. Karen's husband would venture out into the blizzard with socks on his hands to chop wood to load up the small fireplace. They slept together on the floor in front of the flames of the fire. Karen Buckner and her three children at Witzes hut. ( Supplied: Karen Buckner ) Those days became the highlight of the multi-day hiking trip. "It's the memorable part of the trip," Karen said. "When we talk about that hike, we talk about that hut. "We don't actually remember the cheerful chatting along the track, we remember the adversity and staying in the shelter of the hut." The hut network throughout the high country received national attention in January when missing hiker Hadi Nazari was found after eating only two muesli bars found in Opera House Hut. It's one of the hardest-to-reach huts in Kosciuszko National Park, which, legend has it, cost more per square metre to build than the Sydney Opera House. Karen has survived emergencies in huts decades before they made headlines. She has sheltered in huts during blizzards or hailstorms four times while hiking in the Australian high country and has a deep appreciation for the huts, their history, and the people who use and maintain them. Cootapatamba Hut stands near the summit of Mount Kosciuszko and is popular among skiers. ( Supplied: Angus Acacia ) Huts hold history There are more than 200 historical huts scattered throughout the Australian high country from north of Canberra to south of Mount Buller. Dating as far back as the mid-1800s, the huts were built by surveyors, fishers, miners, cattle musterers, loggers, brumby drivers, hydrologists, meteorologists or keen bushwalking and ski groups. Valentine Hut was built in the 1950s to support a surveying crew. ( Supplied: Michael Milkovits ) Some are made from flat, rounded river stones, others from cypress pine logs, others from tin. Each has its own unique quirks. Mountain legend tells of a one-armed man building a hut. Kunama Hut was brought from Sydney's northern beaches by truck and by saddle to stand a few kilometres from the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, while Illawong Hut was rowed along the river to its permanent home. Grey Mare Hut is famous for its painted nude murals. Murals on the wall of Grey Mare Hut. ( Supplied: Klaus Hueneke Collection, National Alpine Museum Australia ) Four Mile Hut had live dynamite stored under one of the bunks until the 1980s. The newspapers lining Coolamine Hut were glued onto the walls with a mixture of flour and water for premium insulation during the 1880s, while the newspapers on the walls of O'Keefe's Hut, now preserved behind perspex, tell of fascist Germany in the 1940s. The walls of O'Keefes Hut are lined with newspapers from the 1940s. ( ABC News: James Tugwell ) Karen said the huts offered a little window into the past. "They're a big part of the culture of the place," she said. "They hold a lot of history. "You look at these huts and think, 'Wow, someone dragged all this stuff out here and built them." O'Keefes Hut in the Jagungal Wilderness. ( ABC News: James Tugwell ) The caretakers The wooden door of Whites River Hut is off its hinges and on the workbench for a fresh coat of brown paint. All the huts are looked after by volunteer caretakers from either the Kosciuszko Huts Association or the Victorian High Country Huts Association. A Boobee Hut working party heads for home. ( Supplied: Klaus Hueneke Collection, National Alpine Museum Australia ) Today, Whites River Hut caretaker Angus Broad is hard at work cleaning up the hut he has been maintaining for more than 20 years. "A bit of a polish up, painting this or that, and just making sure it's clean," Angus said. In the 1940s, caretakers were surprised to find a cow trapped inside the hut after the door was left open. There are no surprises for Angus today. Angus Broad loves being able to care for Whites River Hut. ( ABC News: James Tugwell ) He gives the small cattleman's hut a sweep and replaces the logbook signed by visitors with a new, fresh book. The old book has been filled since May 2022 with entries from hikers, school groups, snowboarders and mountain bikers. Visitors from as far as Townsville have left poems, drawings and stories of their adventures. The logbook in Whites River Hut is full of stories of adventure. ( ABC News: James Tugwell ) There's a report of a hiker returning after 48 years and a ghost encounter with no further details provided. One entry reads: "Zeus decided to unleash his powerful thunder upon us. "We gathered at Whites River to wait out the storm. Zeus, we look forward to a rematch." The next day, according to the next entry, 17 people squished in during a thunderstorm. The table — one of the only furniture pieces in the room — is etched with a graffitied history of other visitors, too. Graffiti left by visitors on the table at Whites River Hut is a record of history. ( ABC News: James Tugwell ) "It's a sense of history and there's importance in preserving and maintaining the hut," Angus said. His father skied Kosciuszko Main Range in the 30s, sheltering in huts across the mountains. Angus is, in a way, skiing in the tracks of his father. Reflecting on the personal significance of Whites River Hut brings him to tears. "I had that history of his involvement when I came out to ski," he said. "What is unique about Whites River Hut, as far as I'm concerned, is there is a history that makes it relevant to me." There's always odd jobs for Angus to do every time he visits Whites River Hut. ( ABC News: James Tugwell ) It's a history he wants to pass on. "Last night we had two young women with babies — one 10 months, one five months — who had come out here with a pram and camped outside for two nights," he said. "That's special." Angus has driven more than six hours from Nowra to Whites River at least once every year for the past two decades to make sure the hut is in tip-top condition. There's no place Angus would rather be than in his tent next to Whites River Hut. ( ABC News: James Tugwell ) "Most people don't know what is actually out here on the main range of Kosciuszko," he said. "They haven't been out here. They don't know the huts. Therefore, they don't understand the reason I'd want to do this. "What we are doing is giving people who are coming here, staying the night, a place which is welcoming — that looks like it's well maintained. "There's a level of pride leaving it in good condition." There's no place he'd rather be than in his tent on the grassy flat beside the hut, falling asleep to the trickle of the nearby stream knowing the hut is glistening again. "Kosciuszko is a unique area. It's one of those places you fall into and you form a bond with," he said. "With the huts, when people come out here they see the value of the huts. "They're a part of a vernacular history of the national park." Delanys Hut between Adaminaby and Tumut, under a clear, Milky Way. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) Virtual tours Kosciuszko Huts Association huts maintenance officer Marion Plum revs a four-wheel-drive full of paint supplies, nails and equipment along a dirt road deep in the heart of the national park. Two weeks after helping Angus out at the Whites River working bee, she'll be out with her son and grandchildren caretaking at Valentine Hut. Marion Plum says the huts have their own personalities. ( ABC News: James Tugwell ) She spends most weekends out in the mountains because she "just can't help it". "It's a wonderful feeling coming across a hut," she said. "They do have their own personalities. They are quite vastly different and have their own character. "It's a little home away from home." Some hut caretakers have been volunteering for more than 50 years. ( Supplied: Michael Milkovits ) She's spent many nights under the stars sharing stories about the huts and the mountains and remembers fondly her grandchildren's excitement when an antechinus (native marsupial mouse) would dart out across the floor. "Particularly around the campfire at night we sit back and think how lucky are we to be here. It's a privilege to volunteer," she said. A hiker enjoying the cosiness of Millers Hut with the fire on. ( Supplied: Tim Attwood ) Ms Plum, who oversees caretakers at 19 huts, said some had been volunteering more than 50 years. "They come from all over and they travel down here because of their love of the mountains and the huts," she said. Ms Plum is helping share the quirkiness of the huts with more people through a database of 3D renderings of the buildings. She has helped electronically record 30 huts in two years, with the same technology used by real estate agents. Ms Plum said it made doing repairs easier as volunteers could take measurements for materials before travelling to the hut. It also creates a permanent record of a hut's character and likeness. Because sadly, sometimes disaster strikes the huts. A burning legacy Whites River Hut is surrounded by the grey skeletons of gumtrees burnt during the 2003 fires. The hut itself wasn't damaged beyond some blistering of the paint. The chimney of Whites River Hut against the backdrop of trees burnt during the 2003 bushfire. ( ABC News: James Tugwell ) However, 10 huts needed to be rebuilt. Another 11 huts were burnt during the Black Summer bushfires. After the Black Summer bushfires, Ms Plum said the association received thousands of donations from across Australia and all around the world to support the rebuilding of the huts. "People just love the huts," she said. Sawyers Hut was destroyed during the Black Summer bushfires. ( ABC News: Matt Roberts ) Rebuilding is something Ms Plum said was important for the history of Kosciuszko National Park. "The story stops if the hut isn't rebuilt," she said. "But if the hut is rebuilt the story continues because people continue to visit that hut. The fact it was burnt and rebuilt becomes part of the story." NPWS builders Peter and Roger enjoy morning tea during the reconstruction of Four Mile Hut. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) The fight to rebuild National Parks and Wildlife Services ranger and hut rebuilding project manager Megan Bowden said it was heartbreaking to see the burnt remains of the huts after the fires. She oversaw the rebuilding of all 11 huts damaged during the Black Summer bushfires. "If we lose these huts, then 60 huts becomes 50, then 40, and we lose the whole cultural landscape of these huts dotted across the landscape," Ms Bowden said. NPWS study old records to ensure the rebuilds are as accurate as possible to the original. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) NPWS staff study old records to ensure the rebuilds are as accurate as possible to the original. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) The construction of the frame of Brooks Hut. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) The construction of the frame of Brooks Hut. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) The construction of Brooks Hut near the Eucumbene Dam. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) The construction of Brooks Hut near the Eucumbene Dam. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) The inside of the new Brooks Hut. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) Inside the new Brooks Hut. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) Four Mile Hut was one of 11 rebuilt after being destroyed during Black Summer. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) Workers were able to use modern technology but tried to replicate the original hut designs as much as possible. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) Huts throughout the mountains look different in each season depending on the plants around them. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) Huts throughout the mountains look different each season depending on the plants around them. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) In the middle of the wilderness, the huts are popular with astrophotographers looking for a clear night sky. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) In the middle of the wilderness, the huts are popular with astrophotographers looking for a clear night sky. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) Brooks Hut is tucked into the side of a hill in a landscape that was badly burnt during Black Summer. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) Brooks Hut is tucked into the side of a hill in a landscape that was badly burnt during Black Summer. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) "They're really good markers of previous land use of the area — from stockman, to graziers, to timber getters, to the construction of the Snowy Scheme. "They all tell a story of the different layers of what is now known as Kosciuszko National Park." The rebuilding process took almost five years to complete, but Ms Bowden said accuracy was important, with builders trawling through historical photos and archives. Vickerys Hut was constructed from timber logs. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) Vickerys Hut was constructed from timber logs. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) The construction of Vickerys Hut in a warehouse in Tumut. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) The construction of Vickerys Hut in a warehouse in Tumut. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) Some things never change. A KHA work party at Vickerys Hut in 1987 and it's still being looked after today. ( Supplied: Kosciuszko Huts Association ) Some things never change. A KHA work party at Vickerys Hut in 1987 and it's still being looked after today. (Supplied: Kosciuszko Huts Association) The final touches are applied to the new Vickerys Hut. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) The final touches are applied to the new Vickerys Hut. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) Vickerys Hut was rebuilt after the Black Summer bushfires. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) Vickerys Hut was first built in 1938 and restored in 2024. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) Families and friends involved in Vickerys Hut at the official re-opening after being rebuilt. ( Supplied: Tom's Outdoors ) The official re-opening of Vickerys Hut. (Supplied: Tom's Outdoors) "When you visit these places you can feel the history, the beauty of the fabric and how they've been built," she said. "The skill that went into building these huts, making use of the materials around them and without modern technology always captivates me." The burnt Vickerys Hut was built in a workshop in Tumut, dismantled and transported in bundles and reassembled on site. Linesmans Hut being lifted into position helicopter in the Jagungal Wilderness. ( Supplied: NSW Parks and Wildlife Service ) So too, sections of Linesmans No.3 Hut were airlifted into location by helicopter. Ms Bowden said the effort was entirely worthwhile. "When it's all packed up and you look back on the hut and sit on the verandah and look down the valley, it's magical," she said. On the verandah at The Pines Cottage, Currango. ( Supplied: Klaus Hueneke Collection, National Alpine Museum Australia ) Each hut had a reopening ceremony, attended by caretakers, friends of the hut and, in some instances, people who used to live in the huts. Boyce Boots attended the reopening of Happy's Hut in 2024, 82 years after living there as a boy with his stockman father. Mr Boots had found his name pencilled on the wall of the hut in 2011, and told the crowd gathered at the official opening about his childhood at the hut milking the cows every morning — even in blizzards — and carting water up the hill in buckets. "Watching him recount his stories and life there was magical," Ms Bowden said. "They're all unique. They're all different. They're important individually — because of how they've been built. They also have that family connection. "They're living museums."
News.com.au
21-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
NSW brumby population plummets to 1500 in ‘turning point' for famed Snowy Mountains
The number of feral horses roaming NSW's Kosciuszko National Park could be as low as just 1500 as wildlife activists herald the success of controversial aerial culling. An October 2024 report found that between 1500 and 6000 brumbies likely remained in the park, down from a whopping 13,000 to 22,000 reported the previous year. The survey puts the state government well ahead of its legally mandated goal of reducing the population to 3000 by June 30, 2027. Invasive Species Council chief executive Jack Gough said the report was a 'turning point' and 'nature is responding' to the dramatic reduction in feral horses. 'Fewer hard-hoofed feral animals trampling the fragile alpine environment means more native species returning,' Mr Gough said. 'More delicate wetlands recovering and more hope for one of Australia's most vulnerable national parks. 'Now we need all sides of politics to come together to keep up this momentum for a wildlife revival by overturning the law which requires 3000 feral horses to remain trashing and trampling one third of the iconic Kosciuszko National Park.' Introduced by former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro, the so-called Brumby Bill – known properly as the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act – recognised the 'heritage value' of wild horse populations within parts of the park and mandated numbers be reduced to just 3000. The Invasive Species Council, at the time, said the Bill 'turned Australia into a global laughing stock', and it was heavily criticised by academics and environmental activists groups who have long decried the harmful impacts of the invasive horses on the delicate alpine ecosystem. Independent Wagga Wagga MP Joe McGirr introduced a petition to repeal the Bill, which was signed by more than 11,000 people, to parliament earlier this month, with no MPs from Labor, Liberals or the Greens speaking against the petition, including Monaro MP Steve Wahn. 'Barilaro's brumby law has no friends in parliament, other than a few fringe voices in the upper house, and the next step must be for parliament to repeal this bad law once and for all,' Dr Gough said, having previously called on NSW Premier Chris Minns to repeal the Brumby Bill. The state government survey also comes after new photos were released by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service of recovery in the Kosciuszko National Park. Reclaim Kosci founder and Invasive Species Council Indigenous ambassador Richard Swain said feral horses 'trample our fragile landscapes, pollute our streams, and damage sacred Country'. 'Finally, the health of the soil, water and our native species in the Snowy Mountains is healing, but we need to fix the ridiculous law that still protects a feral animal over our native plants and animals,' she said. 'It's a national park, not a horse paddock. 'For the sake of the high country, it is past time that we put to bed the senseless arguments and accept the evidence that removing feral horses is the only way of protecting Country from this destruction.' ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society professor Jamie Pittock said the new images 'should be the catalyst – let's stop debating numbers and get on with the job of protecting the park'. 'Kosciuszko is home to threatened species like the northern corroboree frog, broad-toothed rat and critically endangered alpine she-oak skink – all of which suffer when feral horses degrade their habitat,' he said. 'Every delay puts this more at risk.' The state government survey used two independent scientific methods – both showing a significant drop off in numbers compared with previous years, albeit it with some variation between estimates. The Australian Brumby Alliance, which has have been vocally opposed to aerial culling of feral horses, are yet to respond to the report, which was released on Wednesday, but has been critical of population control. The organisation is supporting a parallel petition by NSW Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst that is calling on the state government to implement 'nonlethal solutions', namely rescue and rehoming of wild horses. An attempt to stop aerial culling of wild horses was dismissed by the NSW Supreme Court last year.
New Paper
17-05-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Lim's Kosciuszko a brave third in Aussie debut
Kranji superstar Lim's Kosciuszko did not win at his first Australian outing, but would have still done his legion of Singapore fans proud with his third place at Flemington on May 17. He jumped on terms with noted speedsters in the A$175,000 (S$134,000) Listed Straight Six (1,200m), taking the back of Marble Nine (Jye McNeil), one of the fancies in the 15-horse field. While daylight never really materialised for the Singapore 22-time winner inside the last furlong, the Kermadec seven-year-old still plugged away in a three-way go to finish a ½-length off the winner, $407 outsider Title Fighter. Trainers are not in the business for minor placings, but one could be forgiven to believe trainer Daniel Meagher had just won. The Australian, whose breakout seasons in his nine years at Kranji came in the last four when he notched his 16 Group 1 wins, 10 from Lim's Kosciuszko, was "rapt" with the result, but his voice did betray some mixed feelings, too. "I'm rapt with that first run. He had not raced for seven months, was first-up in a new country, was racing on a straight course for the first time," said Meagher, who is now based in Pakenham. "It was also on a heavy track, and he had 60½ kg on his back, giving 6kg to the next horse. "Let's not forget it was a Listed race, there were some good horses in it. It's a different ball game to run in the city, but he went terrific. "He got in behind horses and was given a kind ride by Ben Melham. There was full of pressure in the race, but Ben's a Group 1 jockey. "I felt Kosi was unlucky late, when he didn't get the split. Ben said he was a still a good horse and he was surprised by the good feeling he got. "I'm so happy with the run. He just keeps turning up and keeps putting our names out there. "I rang (owner) Mr Lim (Siah Mong). He's also very happy." While the Brisbane riches, including the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1,400m) on June 14, had been mentioned as Lim's Kosciuszko's next targets, Meagher said nothing has been cast in stone. "Let's see how he pulls up first. Yes, I have Brisbane in mind, but I don't want to overtax him," he said. "I wanted him to win at home first. I wished he won today, especially for Mr Lim. "The Spring races are only a few months away. Every second or third week, there are plenty of good races here, worth around A$175,000 to A$200,000. "I don't want to rush him." The winner Title Fighter is prepared by trainer Clayton Douglas and was ridden by Tom Prebble, who, ironically, gave Meagher the first of his two Australian winners, Cardone at Pakenham on March 5. manyan@
New Paper
15-05-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Kosciuszko's Australian debut
Seven months after bidding farewell to Singapore, Lim's Kosciuszko is finally making his much-awaited Australian debut. The undisputed King of Kranji in the last three seasons will contest the A$175,000 (S$147,000) Listed Straight Six (1,200m) at Flemington on May 17 at 12.50pm Singapore time. On his glowing resume of 22 wins, including 10 at Group 1 level, the Kermadec seven-year-old is by far the most credentialled runner in the 16-horse field. None of his rivals are Melbourne A-listers, although five boast six Group 3 and five Listed wins among them. The Hayes' Crosshaven is probably the better horse with three Group 3 wins to his name and even a fourth to Ole Kirk in the 2020 Group 1 Caulfield Guineas. But this is anything but easy kill for Singapore's most famous horse since Rocket Man. A switch in jurisdiction does not equate to a simple lateral transfer of formline. Simply put, he is now a big fish in a small pond. A first indicator is the Australian handicappers' downgrade of his lofty Singapore rating from 122 down to 108. With not that many horses having raced in both countries, it is more of a guestimate hinged around both arbitrary and justified factors. But as a rule of thumb, the Singapore form is typically inferior by a couple of classes at least. For example, a Singapore Group 1 race would be equivalent to an Australian Group 3 or Listed race. Another yardstick came from the handful of Kranji top-draw horses who raced in Australia. The likes of Jolie's Shinju, Lim's Cruiser, and more recently, Countofmontecristo and Inferno (renamed The Inferno), all tried their best, but found the competition a lot hotter. In saying this, horses sometimes do not go by the rulebook. The Inferno did win a Group 2 race, the McEwen Stakes, Bakeel won three races in a row in Adelaide, albeit he stumbled at his first big test in a Listed race. Named after Australia's highest point, Lim's Kosciuszko is cut from a different cloth. Sheer class could see the two-time Singapore Horse of the Year move mountains. Trainer Daniel Meagher's prayers for that to happen were answered 22 times in Singapore - but heartbreakingly not at his final run when fifth in the Group 1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup (2,000m) on Oct 5. However, the Australian, who is now based in Pakenham, is also mindful of two factors: Mother Nature and Father Time. "He has settled pretty well, even if he's feeling the cold like most of us," said Meagher to "He's had a lot of conditioning work now, he's had a few jumpouts and trials. So, he's ready to go. "He's seven years old, I'm just really excited to see the old fellow get back into it in Australia." Meagher said he had never been guided by Lim's Kosciuszko's work as he has always been laid-back in the morning. He said the old spark was still there in flashes, but overall, he felt more subdued even by his normal standards. "He's always been a casual worker. He's a very deceiving horse in his trackwork, but he's been extra casual here," he said. "In my mind, I always hope he still has that fire in his belly, but he's a race day horse. "Still, he's usually a bit sharper, but he's been pretty relaxed. I just hope he goes to Flemington this Saturday and gets his old fire in his belly and shows Australia what he can do. "Jason Maskiell did a lot of work on him. He tested him this morning, he whipped around on him. "I was quite happy about it, Jason wasn't. But it just shows me he's still got it in him. "I hope he brings his A game on Saturday. But if he's to head to the Kingsford Smith and the Stradbroke in Brisbane, he's got to run in the first three and run well." Meagher, who has already saddled two winners since his Australian debut in February, had similar expectations for Lim's Saltoro at his launch in Caulfield on May 10. While not entirely disappointed with a fifth, he was clearly expecting better. "It's a different tempo here. He was chasing the leader who is probably a 1,200m horse," he said. "I thought it was a pass mark. We'll definitely see improvement from that run." manyan@
Courier-Mail
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Grafton preview: Looker keen to add to impressive tally
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Country Championship Final winning jockey Ben Looker aims to add the $500,000 The Coast to his resume but not before boosting his extraordinary Grafton tally. The one-time apprentice to local legend and Kosciuszko winning trainer John Shelton, Looker brought up his 1,300th winner when Point Out won at Quirindi 11 days ago. Not surprisingly, Grafton is Looker's most successful track with a current total of 259 wins. The most recent of those came on April 13 when Looker steered the lightly-raced and promising Olivershare to his first win at career start number two. 'He's still learning what it is all about but he was really good to win a Maiden from an awkward gate without a lot of luck in the middle stages,' Looker said. 'When he got to the second horse, he got passed it, then just floated a little bit. 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! 'Going from a Maiden to a 58 is pretty hard to do nowadays with the Benchmark system. 'He's racing horses that have won more than one or two races but he has got a lot of upside and from the one alley he is going to be able to put himself there and he'll look the winner at some stage. 'He's a nice enough horse that I've got a lot of time for.' Looker is naturally eager to reacquaint himself with the well-bred Veandechance in the Brett Bellamy Congratulations On 1000 Benchmark 82 Handicap (1435m). The last time he rode the Colt Prosser-trained relative of Melbourne Cup winner Jezabeel was at her most recent start, winning a slogging mile affair at Taree on March 25. 'She hasn't raced for a bit over six weeks just with all the wet weather there really hasn't been any races for her,' Looker explained. 'Whatever she does over the 1400m, I feel that she is going to improve getting back up to a mile and 2000m down the track. 'But Grafton is rain-affected at the moment and she is very dynamic on a wet track.' Looker's first chance to win on the day comes in Edwards Irrigation Consulting Maiden (1030m) where he pilots the Showtime two-year-old Ol' Mate Coop. 'He went around a while ago at Coffs Harbour,' Looker said. 'Obviously Shaggy won the race and won quite well but the second horse has come out and won a race since and my horse ran third. 'Tony Newing's horses race well at their home track. 'He's a nice horse with a lot of upside.' While Looker's immediate focus centres on Grafton, all roads lead to Gosford on Saturday where the trusty hoop will hop aboard the Dynamic Syndications mare Rapt in a shared quest for the $500,000 The Coast. 'I was meant to ride Overriding in (The Coast) last year but unfortunately Nathan (Doyle) had to scratch,' Looker said. 'Rapt is not a short-price fancy but you can't really fault her form. 'She has raced well at Gosford in the past, she's three from three at the distance, and I thought her run was pretty good in the Provincial Championship Final. 'In a race where not a lot made ground from back in the field, I thought she did a good job to make up the ground she did. 'If she gets the luck, I think she'll beat more home than beat her home.' ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Donna Grisedale has provided an update on her husband/jockey Jon, weeks after a dangerous incident at a set of post-race barrier trials at Grafton. Grisedale, who has ridden close to 1,350 winners, was dislodged from his mount after it reared and fell on top of him while parading behind the barriers prior to the first of two Heats at Grafton on April 13. 'Jon's good,' Donna Grisedale said. 'It's probably halfway through with his broken leg but he is mending well and now it is a just a matter of time, hopefully another three weeks.' Jon Grisedale will be watching on from home as his wife saddles-up two of the string at Grafton, namely the stable recruit Ostracised together with the speedy Super One son, Super Jaie. Ostracised was bought, and sold, for a fourth time in his career, when knocked down for $10,000 at the Inglis February Online Sale in 2024. The one-time Team Hawkes resident has been a model of consistency since his change of address, posting four thirds in his nine starts for Grisedale. 'We haven't had a jumpout or a trial so he is literally going straight into it pretty much raw but he still should run well, he loves the wet,' the trainer said. 'He's a good money-spinner. His first-up run is usually his worst and after that, he is very consistent. 'We've been trying to find a wet track but they just seem to be getting too wet and washed so hopefully Friday is his day.' Super Jaie, meanwhile, seems blessed with a favourable alley (two) in the last of the ten races on the marathon card. 'Ideally a Good 4 would be what he is looking for opposed to a Heavy track but we are going four and five weeks between runs with every horse so I am just losing fitness tremendously with too many of them,' said Grisedale. Grisedale's gelding's three wins career have come at distance ranging from 1106m to 1250m. Super Jaie's broodmare sires read like a who's who of Australia's most recognisable stallions including Snitzel, Century, Vain, Todman and Heroic. On top of all that, Super Jaie's ninth dam is the 1945 Melbourne Cup winner, Rainbird.
