REGULAR GRAFTON CARNIVAL VISITOR CROFT DOES IT AGAIN

MENTION Grafton’s annual July carnival, and it’s a good bet Terry Croft will be a player! 

And for the third year in a row the Hawkesbury trainer hasn’t missed out getting a winner.

Croft clinched his carnival “hat-trick” today when Tides Turning took on another giant-killing role in winning the Class 2 Showcase Handicap (1100m) at the Ramornie Handicap meeting.

Superbly ridden by Alysha Collett, Tides Turning ($14) overpowered $1.95 favorite Storm Merchant to post the third win of her 12-start career.

It should have been no surprise to racegoers that Croft, who paid $22,000 for Tides Turning at the 2023 Inglis HTBA yearling sale in Sydney, targeted the Grafton race.

The rising five-year-old daughter of Flying Artie is a daughter of Catseye Surprise, with whom he won the first ever Big Maiden at the carnival in 2013.

Croft went back to Grafton to win the Big Maiden again with Hot Jive in 2024, and returned last year to win the Class 2 Handicap – the same race as Tides Turning – with Zoutastic.

Tides Turning (apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald) was at $81 when she rolled $1.45 hotpot Gorgeous at her home track in April in a Class 1 Handicap (1000m).

“She should never have been at those odds that day, and similarly she shouldn’t have been the price she was today,” Croft said this evening.

“Her form was good enough to win this race.

“She drew off the track at Wyong at her previous start and before that wasn’t far away when fifth at the Kensington track behind Jarrito (who won again at Warwick Farm today).”

Winning rider Collett gave Tides Turning a great run from the inside barrier.

She didn’t bustle her early and took a sit behind favorite Storm Merchant before getting into the clear in the straight.

Under Collett’s urging, Tides Turning tackled Storm Merchant and, with a handy 2.5kg pull in the weights, was too good, edging clear to score by a half-length.

Croft took four horses to the Jacaranda City for a carnival he understandably enjoys, and hopes his success will continue at the Cup meeting tomorrow.

He has debutante Triple Seven, an Astern gelding who won a 1000m trial at home on June 29, ready to make his debut in the Springboard To Fame 2YO Plate (1175m), and Zoutastic, who was Hawkesbury’s first winner of the season at the Forbes Cup meeting on August 3 last year, in the Sir James Kirby Quality (1000m).

Alysha Collett partners Triple Seven, and Jean Van Overmeire has the Zoutastic mount.

Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees didn’t break his Ramornie drought (Brudenell finished eighth), but still landed a double at the meeting.

Australian Bloodstock-raced stablemates Barazin ($4.20 in the Class 6 Rural Plate, 2200m) and Rustemo ($1.75 favorite in the Grafton Guineas, 1600m) both were successful.

Aaron Bullock rode the Lees’ pair and made it a treble when Critical Time ($6) took the Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap (1400m).

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JULY 15, 2026 - PICS DARREN WINGINGHAM - CLJC FACEBOOK