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Some top sprinters have previously tasted success in the Ramornie Handicap run at Grafton on Wednesday.
The most notable is Takeover Target who began his ascent in races like this one. Could another fairy tale begin in the 2019 Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton on Wednesday?
2019 Ramornie Handicap: Nominations
2019 RAMORNIE HANDICAP - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
Grafton's Ramornie Handicap is an annual feature of the Clarence River Jockey Club's July racing carnival and is one of the most famous country sprint races in Australia.
First run in 1910 as the Newmarket Handicap, the race name was changed to the Ramornie Handicap in 1917, taking its title from the Ramornie Station, a famous property on the banks of the Clarence River.
The Ramornie Handicap has been run over 1200m since its inception and carries Listed Race status. It shares top billing at the Grafton July Racing Carnival with the Grafton Cup.
The 2019 Ramornie Handicap will be run for prizemoney of $160,000.
The Ramornie Handicap boasts six multiple winners with the most famous being Cuban Song, a local sprinter who won the race four times in successive years from 1933 to 1936.
The other multiple winners are Trovatore (1955/56); Develope (1970/71); High Classic (1980/1982), Credit Again (1986/87) and The Jackal (2007/08).
The Ramornie Handicap has been won by some of Australia's top sprinters, none better than the 11-time Group One winner Takeover Target in 2004.
Other notable Ramornie handicap winners since 1970 include Swiftly Ann, MIstress Anne, Razor Sharp, Veiled Report, Lightning Bend, Tiny's Finito, Friend's Venture, Lucky Dapper, Cangronde, Kidlat, Sir Breakfast, Battlefield, Pinwheel, Howmuchdoyouloveme, Youthful Jack and Big Money.
The Ramornie Handicap has been won by many leading trainers and jockeys.
Winning Ramornie Handicap trainers since 1960 include Mal Barnes, Arthur Gore, Jim Johnstone, Roy Hinton, Kelso Wood, Colin Jillings, Frank Cleary, Tony Vasil, Keith Swan, John Morrissey, Ron Quinton, Liam Birchley, Peter Snowden, Ross Stitt, Rod Northam and John Sargent.
Winning Ramornie Handicap jockeys since 1960 include Darby McCarthy, Bill Wade, Bill Burnett, John Wade, Peter Cook, Neil Williams, Larry Olsen, Wayne Harris, Malcolm Johnston, Alan Robinson, Matthew Cahill, Robert Thompson, Danny Nikolic, Brenton Avdulla and Tye Angland.
Robert Thompson, Australia's most successful jockey by wins, has won the Ramornie Handicap four times since 2007 (The Jackal twice, Youthful Jack, Big Money).
The 2018 Ramornie Handicap was won by Havasay from Belflyer and Tyzone.
