Horsham trainer Paul Preusker’s stellar season continued last Saturday at Moonee Valley with his 40th winner of 2017/18 and his fifth metro winner since February 17. 
Preusker scored with stable star Magic Consol in the Travis Harrison Cup (1600m), with the late Travis Harrison’s cousin and close friend Craig Williams riding. 
Williams gave Magic Consol ($4) a beautiful ride, settling just off the speed. 
The son of Consolidator began to roll into the race at the 500-metre mark, and despite racing wide on the turn let down with a strong run. 
The rising nine-year-old apparently still has some spring in his step, as he raced away for a seven-length victory. 
It was an emotional win for Williams, his first in the race named in honour of Harrison, killed in a car accident 22 years ago, during his apprenticeship. 
Magic Consol has been a wonderful horse for his connections, recording 11 wins and 14 minor placings from 56 starts, for earnings of $481,265.
FIFO, to work he goes
Horsham hoop Dean Yendall has always been a “have saddle, will travel” kind of guy, and last weekend saw that policy pay off yet again. 
Yendall ventured to Queensland for Saturday’s Ipswich Cup meeting, where he had four rides, two of them for his principal patron, Darren Weir.
His main chance was Tradesman, a $1.80 favourite in the Channel 7 Ipswich Cup (2150m), and Yendall got the job done despite the odd heart flutter for supporters. 
The ex-WA galloper raced handy just behind the speed and travelled strongly but didn’t have the cushiest of runs.
Even so, Tradesman responded strongly when asked to make his run. The six-year-old Trade Fair gelding dashed up quickly in the straight and proved too good for First Crush, winning by a slender margin. 
There wasn’t much time for celebration, as Yendall returned to Victoria to take up a book of rides on the wet track at Bendigo the following day. 
Again teaming up with Weir, Yendall rode a double aboard Zaide ($2.90 equal favourite) and Choisborder ($1.90 favourite) in a 2400-metre maiden and an 1100-metre benchmark 64 respectively.