Jockey snatches late win for Toowoomba trainer
RACING: Memories of a missed opportunity for Toowoomba five-year-old Grey Steyne were put aside by his connections on Saturday when he resumed racing with a spirited Clifford Park win.
Grey Steyne ($3.40) returned for trainer Lindsay Hatch with a last-stride victory in the Toowoomba Truck Spares Benchmark 75 Handicap (1100m).
With runner-up Cambooya Rock ($41) looking set for a boil-over victory with 50m to go, Grey Steyne dug deep for jockey Justin Stanley, after a mid-field run, to pounce in the final stride to score by a nose.
Race favourite Cool Drafts ($3) was 1 3⁄4 lengths back third.
Saturday’s win was the first outing for Grey Steyne since July when his North Queensland cups campaign was cut short by injury.
“We thought we could win the Townsville Cup with him,” Hatch said.
“He only finished about a length from the winner in the Rocky Cup and he was going along nicely.
“But he hurt himself in the last gallop before the race and we had to bring him home.”
Grey Steyne has now notched six wins from only 18 starts with his previous victory over 1800m at the Sunshine Coast last February.
“He’s a lovely horse and that was a good effort under a big weight (59.5kg),” Hatch said.
“But he’s done well since coming back in and his two jump-outs were good.
“We thought he could win today.
“We were really confident about him.”
Recent stable addition Sogni ($3.80 ef) added to her previous promising debut for Toowoomba trainer Dale Groves with a break-through victory in the Laser Clinics Australia Fillies and Mares Maiden Plate (1200m).
Sogni raced away over the final stages to score by 21⁄4 lengths for jockey Kenji Yoshida from Surprise Selection ($41) with Jondy Joy ($10) 13⁄4 lengths back third.
Sogni joined Groves late last year and had little luck at her first run for him when fourth at Warwick two weeks earlier.
“She had a few little problems we’ve worked through but it was a good run at Warwick and it’s good she’s been able to repeat that,” Groves said.