Down one day, hero the next | Northern Rivers News | Local News in Northern Rivers

FROM tragedy to triumph in seven years.

The last time Queensland jockey Stathi Katsidis rode in the $150,000 GDSC Grafton Cup (2350m) he ended up in Grafton Base Hospital after a race fall aboard Victory Smile.

Yesterday, the 30-year-old returned in triumph scoring a spine-tingling win aboard Kiwi raider Castle Heights.

In a three-way thriller, Castle Heights ($10) scored by a nose, over Hume ($4) with Twin Wing ($7.50) a half-head away third.

Ironically the four-year-old gelding, a typical long-barrelled New Zealander with further scope for development, is co-trained by Donna and Dean Logan, the same connections who saddled up Victory Smile. The Logans are divorced but still share co-training duties.

"Last time I rode in the cup I got dumped going out of the straight the first time, pinched nerves in my neck and bruising," Katsidis said. "But my pride was hurt more than anything.

"To come back today and win this is very special, particularly as I’ve only just returned to riding after a break.

"I really thought Castle Heights was a good thing. Most of the so-called form students didn’t. That makes it even sweeter."

It proved third time lucky for the Logans, who also finished third with Zabeat in 2004.

Castle Heights, purchased for a meagre $12,000 as a yearling and raced by Donna Logan, Murray Darroch, Roy Dickie, Barry Golding, Murray Lorrie and Ray Smith, will now return to New Zealand and be set for the spring.

"The trip over here will be the making of him," Dean Logan suggested. "He’s been a real baby. Early on he was big and spindly but no body.

"He’s really furnishing up now."

Asked if he was a cups horse, Logan hedged.

"Gee that Melbourne Cup is a terribly hard race to win," Logan said. "We’ll just take little steps at the moment.

"He might be more suited to a race like The Metropolitan in Sydney."

Victory Smile won the Caloundra Cup and Metropolitan in 2002.

"Castle Heights is a better horse at the same stage," Logan said.

Heavily backed Tattersall’s Cup winner Hume dived late down the outside, trainer Brian Smith also planning a spring assault.