3 minute read

Last Sunday's Bowraville Cup winner Bondit will back up in the $45,000 South Grafton Cup this weekend providing he pleases trainer Joe Janiak after his hard-fought win.

Jockey Raymond Spokes lifted Bondit to a nose win over favourite Clan McClymont in the heavy going at the Bowraville meeting, a victory that gave the five-year-old gelding an automatic place in Sunday's Grafton feature over 1600m.

Bondit was lucky to gain a start in the Bowraville Cup (1370m) after initially being drawn as an emergency.

Janiak is keen to run Bondit on Sunday as the five-year-old has won on the Grafton track and will be better suited over Sunday's longer distance, especially if the track is soft.

“Bondit is an honest horse and he can handle the wet no problems, so if he pulls up well he'll be running in the South Grafton Cup,” Janiak said.

Janiak, of Takeover Target fame, has a big team set to race over the July carnival in Grafton now that he has built up his Coffs Harbour stable to full strength.

His runners will include Rockover Target, a promising three-year-old filly which was an impressive debut winner at Grafton last October.

Janiak has had an affinity with Grafton since Takeover Target won the 2004 Ramornie Handicap early in his climb to becoming a champion sprinter when the trainer was based in Queanbeyan.

Takeover Target's $6 million prizemoney enabled Janiak to change his lifestyle, moving to Coffs Harbour two years ago where he has built his own stable complex.