Graham Cox Lands First Training Treble

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Harness

Chance Eclipse winning the third on the card for Graham Cox and Trent Wheeler. Photo Credit- Photography by Jodie Hallows

With just the four runners engaged last Friday night at Wagin, Pinjarra based trainer Graham Cox couldn’t have imagined that all his runners would salute the judge, with a winning treble and a fourth placing with his team.

“Now you’re going to embarrass me, I haven’t had a double either,”

“Up until now, this is the most horse I’ve had in work. I’ve got six in work but only the four racing- the four that raced on Friday night.” Cox said.

Cox has been involved in harness racing for around 35 years, when he was introduced to the game through his father-in-law and has held a trainer’s licence for the past 30 years, originally having a team of horses in Geraldton, before making the move South. Now located in Pinjarra, Cox has gradually expanded his team, buying yearlings at the APG sales.

Galactic Ruler was the first of his runners to salute, with the $2.45 favourite making his run late, going on to win by 1.3m in 1:59:3 over the 1776m sprint trip.

In race three Chance Eclipse found the front when the leader galloped, leaving the short-priced favourite in front, and going on to win comfortably by 8m in a mile rate of 1:59:7 over the 2180m journey.

The last of Graham Cox’s winners came up in the last on the card, with Radiant Bay leading throughout, breaking through for her first win at just start 10 in a mile rate of 2:04:2 over the 2180m in the 2YO maiden event.

Reinsman Trent Wheeler steered home four winners on the night, with the in-form country driver saluting on all three of Cox’s runners, as well as driving his fathers horse Novel Approach to victory in race seven.

Trained by Brian Wheeler, Novel Approach joined the Wheeler stable just seven starts ago and broke through for her first win in 11 months for the father and son duo. After settling in the breeze throughout, the three-year-old came out on top, winning by a short half head in 2:04:3 over the 2180m.

The feature of the night at Wagin was the Spurrs Stud 3YO Westbred Final, with outsider Rip Jackson claiming the win for Brad Lynn and Deni Roberts. It was anyone’s race when the $2.45 favourite galloped in the early stages, with Rip Jackson breaking through for his maiden win in the final. In a mile rate of 2:01:2, the three-year-old won his owners a trophy up to the value of $5000, generously offered by the Wagin Trotting Club.

Nullarbor Navajo made it two in a row for trainer Cheyenne King-Davies and driver Hayden Hancock at Wagin, with the four-year-old bringing up her third career win in just 16 starts. In a mile rate of 2:02:9, she went on to win by 1.9m over the 2180m journey.

Star Of The Class brought up her 15^th career win in the fourth on the card after working her way to the lead, she went on to win by 1.7m in 1:57:5, giving Peter Anderson and Donald Harper a win on the night in the 1776m sprint.

Fireball Friday saluted for Wayne and Jack Justins in race six, after starting off the 10m handicap in the standing start over 2540m, she was able to come out on top over the short priced favourite in 2:05:8.

The last meeting at Wagin for the season comes up on Friday the 3^rd of December.

Ashleigh Paikos