Southern Lad finds Grafton’s clear air in Ramornie

Trained by John O’Shea, the six-year-old stood up to be counted to improve upon his 2021 finish.

Southern Lad wins the 2021 Ramornie Handicap for Randwick trainer John O'Shea. Photo: Adam Hourigan

Trainer John O’Shea said to the ownership group of Southern Lad he was in better form than this time last year when he ran fifth in the Ramornie Handicap.

And while O’Shea was unable to watch on track due to Sydney’s Covid lockdown, his six-year-old gelding didn’t let him down, taking this year’s Ramornie by a long neck from favourite Phobetor.

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“When we had the favourite two deep on the outside, we just needed one to move over and get clear air,” O’Shea said.

“Our bloke has been threatening to win a race of this nature, and it’s obviously well deserved.”

O’Shea said jockey Christian Reith showed he was a class act, riding his second winner in short-time for the stable.

Southern Lad wins the 2021 Ramornie Handicap for Randwick trainer John O'Shea. Photo: Adam Hourigan

The win takes the horse’s prizemoney to more than half a million dollars, and O’Shea said the listed Group 3 horse would continue to travel to these sort of races in the future.

“He gives a good account of himself,” O’Shea said. “He goes good fresh, second-up poorly, and third and fourth he goes well.

“We’ll pretty much do the same thing with him, he’ll have a break and then run the summer sprint series, have another break and do the winter tun again.”

O’Shea said it was exciting to win his first Ramornie after coming close in 2015 with Barbed, and said he enjoyed the country carnivals.

“I love these ones, and we would’ve loved to be there but it wasn’t to be. We try to come and give a representation,” he said.

“He’ll definitely be back next year to defend it.”

Tamilaide wins the Grafton Guineas for 2021 for trainer Les Kelly. Photo: Adam Hourigan

Earlier in the Grafton Guineas race, Tamilaide ate up another soft track for Gold Coast trainer Les Kelly.

He found clear air at the top of the straight to see off Too Good To Be Tru and Oakfield Arrow.

It was almost a sense of relief for Kelly that he saw his horse get clear, as he’d run into trouble on many of his previous five starts, while still managing to be in the frame each time.

“He’s been terribly unlucky,” he said. “His last start he was an absolute certainty beaten, but rain into all the trouble in the world.

“I said to (jockey Ben Thompson) that get him clear and he’ll do the rest.

Kelly said now he may look to the upcoming Coffs Harbour Cup for his next race, or otherwise a spell.

“He’s a deadset swimmer in the wet. Wet or dry really,” he said.

“He’s a very promising horse. I think the sky is the limit for him.”