Cepheus heading to Big Dance

By Tim Howard

The Northern Rivers has a horse to back in this year’s Big Dance at Randwick in November after Murwillumbah galloper Cepheus won in front of New Zealand galloper Cotohele and third placed Barellan Bandit 2.5 lengths further back, to win the lion’s share of the $80,000 prize money on offer. grandstand down when she and brother John Gorrie realised their horse was in front in the straight.

Ms Anderson, who was Maree Gorrie when she left the Jacaranda City

I’ve ever won,” she said, nestling the cup into her like a baby.

“We’ve had winners before but this is the frst silverware we won.”

She succumbed to the charms of race horse for the part owner, who had booked fights and accommodation for the Melbourne Cup, held on same day as The Big Dance at Royal Randwick.

“I just can’t bear to not see him run at Randwick,” Ms Anderson said. “We’re going to have to change a few things.” beneft the Big Dance concept was for country racing.

Murwillumbah-based trainer Matthew Dunn took a chance entering Cepheus into the race just a week after the six-year-old was a fast-fnishing second behind Irish Songs in the Glasshouse Handicap on the Sunshine Coast.

Dunn said he had not tried Cepheus on such a short turnaround before, but he had handled it easily.

And he fancies his horse’s chances in the big race on November 7.

“He’s a benchmark 102 horse, probably about 105 now after this, he’s a Group 2 winner, he’s won more than $500,000 in prizemoney. He ticks a lot of boxes,” he said.

“It was good last year, the frst time and it’s got better this year,” Beattie said.

“Cepheus is a quality horse, he had a quality rider and he beat a quality feld to land himself a berth in a $3 million race.

“It doesn’t get much better than that.”

On the downside Beattie said a nasty fall at the conclusion of the fourth race, had left one jockey, Tegan Harrison in hospital.

Jockeys Harrison, Luke Rolls and Mikayla Weir were all dislodged from their mounts after passing the winning post.

Harrison was unconscious and has since regained consciousness. She had a head injury and was taken to hospital for further assessment.

Grafton Toyota South Grafton Cup (1600m) on Sunday.

Champion jockey

Aaron Bullock showed why he is rated one of the best riders in the country with a faultless ride.

Cepheus, who came to Australia from the UK, hit the line a neck

The win was the third leg of a winning treble for Bullock, who also scored on Tanglewood in Race 2 and Rebel’s Edge in Race 6.

Adding to the local favour of the win was part owner and former South Grafton woman Maree Anderson screaming the for the Gold Coast 30 years ago, can’t believe she has a runner in the Big Dance.

She was on the track, the only owners syndicate member present, to accept the South Grafton Cup from Grafton Toyota general manager Rob Connell.

“This is the frst trophy ownership fve years ago, but has found herself well and truly under its spell now.

“We’ve got a room at home for stuff like this,” she said. “It’s empty at the moment, but now we’ve got something to put in it.”

The win will mean a drastic change of plans

“On the strength of this run and the qualifers at the moment, he would probably be a favourite.”

Dunn did accept the Big Dance feld could strengthen as there were more qualifying events to run.

CRJC executive offcer

Michael Beattie said the quality of the feld and the racing in the $80,000 race showed what a

Rolls complained of a sore wrist and pain to his neck. He returned to the jockey’s room where medics assessed him.

Weir was winded and sustained a small abrasion on her forehead, but appeared to be in good spirits.

Attention now turns to the big two days of July Carnival Racing Ramornie Handicap Day on Wednesday and the Grafton Cup on Thursday.