Champion trainer Peter Snowden faces a challenge in his quest for a record-extending seventh Ramornie Handicap (1200m) victory, as his contender Fire Star has drawn the outside gate for the Listed $200,000 feature race at Grafton on Wednesday. Fire Star was assigned barrier 14 in the Ramornie, which has a full field of 16 runners plus five emergencies. The Snowden sprinter could potentially move into barrier 11 depending on scratchings.
Snowden boasts an impressive history in the Ramornie, having secured six wins over 16 years with horses like Ka Bling (2024), Ranges (2022), Signore Fox (2020), Calanda (2017), Jerezana (2011), and Pinwheel (2010). TAB Fixed Odds assessors acknowledge Snowden’s strong Ramornie record and have Fire Star priced competitively at $10 in early markets, trailing behind Tony Gollan’s charge Perielle, who is the $4.80 favourite.
The Clarence River Jockey Club’s midweek racing program also includes the Listed $200,000 Grafton Cup (2350m) on Thursday, drawing a strong contingent of stayers. The Tom Charlton-trained King Pedro, coming off a win in the Stayers Cup at Rosehill, is the current $2.40 favourite in early betting, with Pounding and So You Are both at $6.
Michael Beattie, the CRJC chief executive, expressed his satisfaction with the quality of the fields for both the Ramornie Handicap and Grafton Cup. “The Ramornie is a bit of a stand-alone for the genuine 1200m horse, it’s like we are the only show in town at this time of year,” Beattie stated. “But that is not the case for the Grafton Cup so I am especially pleased with the field we have for Thursday’s race. The handicappers have come up with a good weight scale for the Cup and that has virtually ‘invited’ all the better horses to come for the race.”
Beattie added that the Grafton track performed well during the recent South Grafton Cup meeting, where the Charlton stable secured a potential feature race double with Mr Chaplin’s victory in a Big Dance qualifier. He confirmed that the rail will be returned to the true position for the Wednesday and Thursday race meetings.
For those considering a wager on the Ramornie Handicap, exploring the available racing odds at Australian betting sites could provide valuable insights.