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By Tony Megahey

Michael Costa, in career-defining times, returns to Grafton’s Clarence River Jockey Club TAB meeting on Sunday, where his feature race aspirations burst off the launching pad last season.

The young Gold Coast trainer is still on a high following the phenomenal “last-to-first” win of The Ritz in the Rising Stars at the Magic Millions Carnival recently and its regional business as usual with far lesser-tiered runners when Grafton resumes with an eight-race TAB meeting.

Last season Michael Costa [pictured left] ran second in the famous Ramornie Handicap with Phobetor who progressed spectacularly to win the Group 2 Heineken Missile Stakes at Royal Randwick in August while stablemate Purrfect Deal earlier won the historic Grafton Cup.

Costa’s unraced three-year old’s Husson’s Regret, Spicy Sonic and maiden Harvesta are a racing horizon away from that class, but the trio is in suitable races.

And for punters, the collect is the same wherever they win.

Vitally, Michael is positive enough on all after a virus set his stable back in November.

“It knocked us about, we had to turn 30-odd out for varying amounts of time, but they came back winning races, The Ritz was just amazing so right back in business for us,” he explained.

“I’ve got duals but if Husson’s Revenge and Spicy Sonic both run at Grafton they’ll be highly competitive, nice three-year-olds well forward off trials and drawn.

“Harvesta has also trialled well, he’s probably looking for further, but he has the race experience in a suitable maiden.”

Husson’s Revenge, Spicy Sonic and Harvesta contest respective maiden races late in the day.

Meanwhile, Grafton at present is a Heavy 8 in overcast weather.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Grafton here