BUCHANAN’S STYLE TO WIN ANOTHER GRAFTON JULY FEATURE

KRISTEN Buchanan has set her sights on capturing another feature race at Grafton’s famous July carnival.

This time it’s the $200,000 Westlawn Finance Grafton Cup (2350m) on Thursday week with stable warrior Stylebender.

And the Wyong trainer says the ageless gelding’s final lead-up at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow will top him off for the Listed feature.

Buchanan, who won the 2020 South Grafton Cup (1600m) with Jazzland and 2024 John Carlton Cup (1195m) with Cecil Street Lad, has booked provincial king Keagan Latham (who is foregoing tomorrow’s Wyong program) for the Benchmark 88 Handicap (2000m) assignment.

“Keagan rode Stylebender a few times earlier in his career, and I wanted a senior rider for this race,” she said today.

“I’m really keen to win the Grafton Cup with the horse.

“I did nominate Stylebender for the Grafton Cup Prelude (2230m) on Sunday, but preferred Rosehill rather than taking him up and back twice in a fortnight.

“He is in great order, and tomorrow’s race will have him at his peak for Thursday week.”

Buchanan is backing up Stylebender after he ran fifth to Sacrify in an 1800m Benchmark 78 Handicap at Rosehill last Saturday.

“Stylebender drew the outside barrier (13), and we went back at the start to last because he would have had no chance going wide,” she said.

“The fence was the place to be, and I thought he ran super.

“He was doing his best work at the end and, with clear running in the straight at the right time, I feel would have finished top three.”

Buchanan has done a superb job with Stylebender, who came to her three years ago after 28 starts (for one win in a 2000m Maiden at Kembla Grange in June 2021, and six minor placings) for a Sydney stable.

However, she had a difficult phone call to make to tell owners Michael and Michelle Kelly that the gelding had a serious wind infirmity and required surgery if he was to be a racing proposition.

Buchanan finally got him back to the racetrack in September 2024, and has since won eight races (including three in town) with the eight-year-old son of Tavistock.

After narrowly missing a hat-trick with last week’s Rosehill runner-up Hellova Nature (who had previously won at Kembla Grange and the Gold Coast), Buchanan is looking to get Tambeloa back into the winning list at Royal Randwick next Saturday.

The talented three-year-old will contest a 3 & 4YO Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m).

After returning from an unsuccessful trip to Brisbane where he drew wide and was never able to get into the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben on May 16, the colt impressively won a 1200m Beaumont trial on June 3.

He then ran fourth to The Mona Lisa in a 1600m Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap at Randwick a fortnight ago.

Gosford trainer Jake Hull will kick off the five-day Grafton carnival at Sunday’s opening program, where it is FREE admission for all.

Hull, no stranger to taking horses to Grafton (he won the 2024 Springboard To Fame 2YO Plate with Ferinzo by a decent margin), has two acceptors in supporting races.

He has Red Chick in the Class 1 Handicap (1215m), and Red Spector in another division of the Class 1.

Ben Looker has been booked for both, but Hull also accepted with Red Chick at Wellington on Monday in a Class 1 Handicap (1100m), where she has drawn better and Newcastle apprentice Shannen Llewellyn has the mount.

. Nominations for both the $200,000 Listed Grafton District Services Club Ramornie Handicap (1200m) and Westlawn Finance Grafton Cup (2350m) on Wednesday and Thursday week respectively, along with all supporting races on both big days, close next Thursday (July 9) at 11am.

The winner of Sunday’s John Carlton Cup (1190m) gains exemption from Ramornie ballot, and similarly the Prelude winner automatically secures a start in the Cup.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JULY 4, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS