Firm track not ideal for Touristic in Cup

Peter Snowden is yet to decide if Touristic will take his place in the Grafton Cup.

TOURISTIC winning the KIA LORD MAYORS CUP
TOURISTIC winning the KIA LORD MAYORS CUP Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

Plans to give Touristic a shot at going one better in the Grafton Cup could be thwarted by the weather with trainer Peter Snowden lukewarm on running if the track remains firm.

The gelding was narrowly beaten by Deny Knowledge in the corresponding race 12 months ago and Snowden was keen to give him another opportunity in the country staying feature on Thursday.

However, the six-year-old's best efforts have been on rain-affected ground and with Grafton rated in the good range, Snowden is weighing up whether to head to the Grafton Cup (2350m) or wait for another day.

"I had in my mind to go but a lot will depend on the track and they're not getting a lot of rain up there at the moment," Snowden said.

"But he went up last year and ran a cracker.

"Saturday morning his work was fantastic. He is not showing any signs at all that he has had enough."

Touristic launched his current campaign in January and has raced every month since, highlighted by his win in the Listed Lord Mayors Cup (2000m) in May.

At his most recent appearance he closed late for fourth behind import Elamaz in the McKell Cup (2000m) and Snowden said he had continued to thrive.

'He lives a pretty charmed life. He is spoiled a fair bit," he said.

"But he's an older horse who enjoys his racing. He enjoys the stable life and he is looking great."

Ciaron Maher is also weighing his options with Glory Daze and like Snowden would prefer a rain-affected track.

A winner on heavy ground at Randwick three starts back, Glory Daze finished third on a good surface in the McKell Cup last start but has also been paid up for a 2000m event at Flemington on Saturday.

"He ran very well on a dry track the other day but he's not a horse we want to run on dry tracks too often," Maher's assistant Johann Gerard-Dubord said.

"There is an option in Melbourne too at Flemington. It's an open handicap but we'll have a few in there so we will play it by ear

"But he's ready to go."


Racing and Sports

Grafton

Thursday, 17th July 2025

7
16:05
(local)

WESTLAWN FINANCE GRAFTON CUP (LR)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 54.0kg Type: Qlty
AUD $200,000
2350m TURF GOOD
7
16:05
(local)
AUD $200,000
2350m GOOD

WESTLAWN FINANCE GRAFTON CUP (LR)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 54.0kg Type: Qlty


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 9. DON DIEGO DE VEGA (FR) 5yo G
LOPE DE VEGA (IRE) - FAIRLY FAIR (FR)
ZAC LLOYD
ANNABEL & ROB ARCHIBALD
$4.6
54kg
Australian Bloodstock, F W Cook, Mrs C M Cook, Heathcote Racing No. 2, S Ryan, BL Shannon, G A Hoult, S M D Racing, Up2ourEyeballs, S S Roth, Carty Racing, Fat Boy Racing, Lucky Eight Racing, S J Novak, Don Diego De Vega, P L Ward, J F Webb, B Nelson, Hon G J Williamson & ANR Don Diego De Vega

Sales Information

2nd 7. QUIETNESS (GB) 5yo M
BATED BREATH (GB) - QUIET QUEEN (GB)
ANDREW ADKINS
JOHN O'SHEA & TOM CHARLTON
$4.6
55kg
R A Pegum, Mrs R A Miller, R J Miller, M J Miller, Cookie Racing (Mgr: P A Cook), R B Gold, D L MacTaggart, S L Malcolm, Ms J D Taylor, M D Sullivan, M Cawley, T J Gunning, C J Nicolay, T E Nuthall & P A Henry

Sales Information

3rd 8. ZOOLOGY (GB) 5yo G
ZOUSTAR (AUS) - PEACH MELBA (GB)
ROB THORBURN
PETER & WILL HULBERT
$15
54kg
A Sterpin

Sales Information

4th 2. TOURISTIC (GB) 6yo G
FRANKEL (GB) - HEURISTIQUE (IRE)
DYLAN GIBBONS
PETER SNOWDEN
$21
58.5kg

Sales Information

5th 4. NIKAU SPUR (NZ) 8yo G
PROISIR (AUS) - SARSARUN (NZ)
JAG GUTHMANN-CHESTER
COREY & KYLIE GERAN
$16
57.5kg

Sales Information

6th 12. BACIO DEL MIST (NZ) 7yo M
RELIABLE MAN (GB) - BACIO DEL VINTO (AUS)
ALYSHA COLLETT
LEE & CHERIE CURTIS
$41
54kg

Sales Information

7th 14. PURE DEAL (AUS) 7yo G
DUNDEEL (NZ) - ELEGANT ATTIRE (AUS)
BELLA YOUNGBERRY
BRETT BELLAMY
$151
54kg

Sales Information

8th 13. DILLIAN (IRE) 6yo G
CAMELOT (GB) - DEBDEBDEB (GB)
ADIN THOMPSON
PETER & WILL HULBERT
$31
54kg

Sales Information

9th 10. FELIX THE SCAT (AUS) 4yo G
MENDELSSOHN (USA) - MISS POCKET ROCKET (AUS)
KYLE WILSON-TAYLOR
TONY GOLLAN
$20
54kg
10th 11. TAPILDOODLEDO (NZ) 5yo G
PROISIR (AUS) - MRS TAPPY (NZ)
BEN LOOKER
KERRY TAPLIN
$101
54kg
11th 1. BELVEDERE BOYS (AUS) 5yo G
MAURICE (JPN) - LEVELLER (AUS)
BLAKE SHINN
MATTHEW DUNN
$5
59kg

Sales Information

12th 15. GO MILLO (AUS) 7yo G
EPAULETTE (AUS) - YOU SMARTY PANTS (USA)
WINONA COSTIN
INDIANA TURNER
$301
54kg

Sales Information