On Saturday night nine-year-old Jackson Grant took out the $30 000 Group 3 Multicam Systems Newcastle Cup (2550m) at the Newcastle International Paceway.
The Ian Wilson-trained Jackson Grant ($10), driven by stable foreman Jim Douglass who also put the final preparatory touches on the winner while trainer Wilson was campaigning Can’t Bluff Me in Melbourne, defeated Our Braham Boy ($8.60) by 1.4m with long-priced outsider Slippery Nemo ($32.10) a further 4.4m back in a surprise third.
The favourite starting the race at $3.70, Cullens Legacy, could only manage to place fifth behind $38 chance Dash Of Class in fourth.
The son of Panorama, Jackson Grant ran a gross time of 3:12.5 over the 2550m staying feature for a mile rate of 2:01:5 giving Wilson his biggest pacing success in over three decades as a hobbyist trainer.
Wilson will trail Jackson Grant in another standing-start cup in Victoria prior to making a decision on whether to aim the late improving pacer in the coveted Big6 Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley on February 6.
2009 Newcastle Cup Results:
Placing |
Horse |
Prizemoney |
Row & Br. |
Trainer |
Driver |
Margin (m) |
| 1 |
JACKSON GRANT |
$20 250 | Sr3 | I C Wilson | J N Douglass | - |
| 2 |
OUR BRAHMAN BOY (NZ) |
$4 050 | Fr4 | A F Khouiss | B P Fitzpatrick | 1.40 |
| 3 |
SLIPPERY NEMO |
$2 700 | Fr2 | J A Pace | B A Sarina | 5.80 |
| 4 |
DASH OF CLASS |
$1 200 | Fr5 | R J Hosking | P J Hedges | 6.50 |
| 5 |
CULLENS LEGACY (NZ) |
$300 | Fr8 | D J Binskin | D J Binskin | 9.70 |
| 6 |
VIRAGE |
$300 | Sr2 | D J Wilkins | G W McElhinney | 11.90 |
| 7 |
COMET PRINCE |
$300 | Fr7 | A Harmey | J J Bond | 13.80 |
| 8 |
BENNY MAC (NZ) |
$300 | Fr3 | P B Flemming | R B Byrnes | 16.80 |
| 9 |
BEST OF TIMES |
$300 | Sr4 | W R Chisholm | R A Atkins | 18.00 |
| 10 |
SPECIAL ALBERT |
$300 | Fr2 | W J Dawson | M L Dawson | 19.80 |
| 11 |
KID COURAGEOUS |
- | Sr1 | P M Russon | A M Siejka | 21.00 |
| 12 |
ENJAYS CAM |
- | Fr1 | N J Tomlin | M A Callaghan | 21.60 |
| 13 |
ALBERT KELLY |
- | Fr1 | W P Dimech | G W Innes | 36.30 |
| 14 |
PROMISES KEPT (NZ) |
- | Fr6 | G R Frew | L G Thompson | 72.70 |