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By Graeme White

Short-priced favourite Tara Jasmine will take an unblemished record into the Grafton Gas & Plumbing Jacaranda Cup (1100) at Grafton on Wednesday.

The mare is unbeaten in five starts at Grafton where she is prepared by John Shelton and is quoted at $2 with TAB.

Tara Jasmine easily won the Jacaranda Cup prelude on October 19 defeating Bel Academy and Zac Attack whom she again faces.

Tara Jasmine (Tim Clark) heads to the barriers at Royal Randwick

The four-year-old rises in the weights by 4.5kg to 61.5kg on her last run, but will carry the same weight as she lumped when successful in a Class 3 at Grafton on September 28.

There have been other gallopers with similar winning records at Grafton, but not in recent times which makes Tara Jasmine’s feat all the more notable.

Regular jockey Ben Looker will again be in charge and will allow the mare to settle and get back in the eight-horse field.

It’s hard to see Bel Academy ($4.40) or Zac Attack ($3.40) turning the tables on recent form, but weights could bring them closer together.

One of the main challengers to Tara Jasmine will be Pride Of Pyingerra ($8.50) who will start from the outside barrier for jockey Luke Rolls.

Pride Of Pyingerra’s trainer Stewart Campbell has been in the winner’s circle more often than not with the five-year-old. The five-year-old has won four of his past six starts and has been a major part of a fabulous winning run for Campbell.

“He has been a terrific horse for the owners considering what we paid for him,” Campbell said. “He had one win when we got him for Victoria and he has won four with me and earned a fair bit of prizemoney.”

As for bringing about the first defeat of Tara Jasmine at Grafton, Campbell said it would be a difficult task. The trainer has been having an outstanding run with Pride Of Pyingerra and Macchina Volante who between them have won seven of their past 13 starts.

“This is Pride Of Pyingerra’s first start at Grafton and some horses just perform well at their home track where they are trained,” Campbell said. “Tara Jasmine doesn’t just grow a leg at Grafton she grows two and will be very hard to beat.

“You have to take them on. My horse isn’t drawn the best and is almost due for a spell, but his work has been good. He has his share of weight with 59 kilograms so it will be a very hard race to win. Tara Jasmine stands out and the others are pretty even.”

Campbell added Pride Of Pyingerra and Macchina Volante had provided an unforgettable past six months for their owners of which some are first timers. Macchina Volante has won the Lismore and Murwillumbah Cup and is likely to have one more run this preparation in the Taree Cup. The pair are the only horses Campbell has in training.

“Some of the owners have never raced a horse before and have been very lucky to get two good horses,” he said. “Pride Of Pyingerra grew in confidence off his first win and just wanted to win after that.”

Bel Academy has been extremely consistent with three wins and as many placings this campaign for trainer Brad Munro. Cocky Rocky ($21) is a last start winner at Grafton and will be having his first start for new trainer Stafford Wain. She’s Choosie ($21) is a 10-time winner with three of those victories coming at Grafton and is another of the chances.

Meanwhile, Franklin Corners ($1.95 favourite) will be chasing three straight wins in the CRJC Life Members Benchmark 66 (1400m).’ The gelding has won his past two outings at Lismore for Grafton trainer Jason Reilly.

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