Grafton trainers plan armidale assault | Northern Rivers Sport | Local Sports in Northern Rivers

Adam Carroll And Geoff Newling | 1st July 2009

GRAFTON trainers will launch an assault on today's Armidale race meeting, with 23 horses engaged on the eight-race program. Racing NSW opted to run the additional TAB meeting following the large number of meetings abandoned in the Northern Rivers in recent months. And with the July Racing Carnival a week away, eight Grafton trainers are making the trek over the mountain to give their charges a run. Leading Grafton trainer John Shelton is taking the biggest team with 11, including four starters in the fourth event on the card, the Tooheys New Two-Year-Old Handicap (1100m). David Campebll and Graeme Want have three horses entered, Hunter Kilner two and Greg Kilner, Paul Richardson, Neville Connor and Mike Dougherty one each. Meanwhile, Racing NSW officials couldn't have scripted it any better for Moonbi trainer Ruth Cooper and her tilt at a Ramornie Handicap crown in Grafton later this month. She was looking at running her talented little cups star Blinkin Easy in the $130,000 WHK Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton on Wednesday, July 15, straight up from a short spell. There had been nothing suitable planned for her four-year-old gelding in the region and she didn't want to travel to Sydney first-up. Then Racing NSW added the Armidale meeting, which was perfect for Cooper. “Couldn't have asked for better,” she said. “He likes the track and gets in with a good weight. I thought he'd be topweight when I first nominated, that's why I booked Jess (Drury) to ride him early. She claims 2kg and he's also drawn barrier one. “He's got everything going for him.” Only a little horse he has 56kg and with Drury's 2kg claim has similar weights that allowed him to win the Glen Innes, Walcha and Singleton cups earlier this year. He carried 55.5kg to win the May 3 1450m Singleton Cup. Twelve days later he ran a gallant fifth to Obvious Choice in the 1600m Scone Cup with 53kg. He was beaten just over a length and then went for a short spell. “He only had a couple of weeks off,” Cooper said. “Doesn't need much work, but has done well. It's all going good to have him right for Grafton. “It'll be a good race though.” Instructed (Danny Bowen), Mr Goldfire (Jim Jarvis), Course (Cody Morgan), Miss Henrietta (Sue Grills) and Stashed Away (Bot Thompson) all have claims. She also has last start Tamworth winner Margucy Spirit in today and believes she is an even better chance than Blinkin Easy. “She loves Armidale, had four starts there for a win and

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