A long-range plan came together for Mudgee trainer Mack Griffith when Blacklist took out last Saturday’s $160,000 TAB Country Classic (2000m) at Rosehill. 
The five-year-old was having just his fourth run for his new stable but this was the race that Griffith had specifically set him for and everything went according to plan. 
“When he (Blacklist) walked in the door, we worked out a program and this was his mission — a race for country-trained horses,” Griffith said. 
“He’s only won three races so he was thrown in at the weights and he’s won over 2400 metres at Sandown so he can stay all day.”
That Blacklist had proved himself as a stayer gave Tim Clark the confidence to ride him with a positive attitude. 
“We said before the race that this horse had a good grounding so if the race became a real test, he’d be the horse that would be strong at the back end,” Clark said. 
“I set him alight a bit early but trusted that he had a good enough grounding to be tough when I needed him to be. 
“I was out in the three-wide lane down the side but that gave me the opportunity to get moving when I wanted to, even though I was a bit wide. 
“If I’d stayed where I was, I would have had to wait to go. 
“I wanted to get the revs up and get him mobile because I knew he’d sustain it.” 
Clark’s confidence proved justified, with Blacklist ($10) defying the challenge of $3.20 favourite Tavros to score by a half-length. 
River on the rise
Georgie Cavanough may still not have her voice back following the win of three-year-old filly Shenandoah River in the Class 2 TAB Highway Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill. 
Trained at Scone by Cavanough and her father Brett, Shenandoah River ($3.50)  stormed home from midfield to win by a length and a quarter from $3.20 favourite and fellow Scone trainee Lady Olenna. 
“It’s fantastic. I’ll lose my voice now for a week,” Georgie Cavanough said. 
“I came here quietly confident today because the form around her was pretty strong. To win like that for some really good owners is a dream come true.”
Apprentice Braith Nock expects further improvement from Shenandoah River, whose six starts have yielded three win and two seconds.
“She’s a nice, progressive type who has a lovely nature,” Nock said. 
“I loved the way she changed gears when she charged through the ruck. She’s getting better with every start and I think the best is yet to come.”
Around the traps
Local trainer Nick Olive dominated last Friday’s meeting at Queanbeyan, leading in three winners including Hardly Fortunate ($5) in the $50,000 Super Maiden over 1200 metres.
This three-year-old All Too Hard filly was resuming from a spell, having placed at all three starts in her first preparation.
With Nick Heywood aboard, she won by margins of three lengths and 2½ lengths, suggesting it will pay to follow her. 
The feature Queanbeyan Regional Cup (1600m) went to another local, the Joe Cleary-trained mare Vermicella.
 The winner, who started a firm $2.20 favourite under Craig Newitt, never looked like losing, coasting home by 2¼ lengths.
At Muswellbrook the same day, Aaron Bullock and apprentice Tilly McCarroll each rode a winning double, with McCarroll’s winners both for Scone trainer Scott Singleton. 
McCarroll, who claims three kilos, is indentured to the powerful Waterhouse/Bott stable and could pay to keep an eye on when she ventures to country meetings. 
At Grafton last Sunday, the Queensland-based father-daughter combination of Tony and Maddysen Sears fared best of the trainers, landing a winning double. 
’Gee whiz
Eyes turn to the central west this Friday for Mudgee Cup day, with the 1400-metre feature worth $75,000 and carrying eligibility status for the $3 million Big Dance at Randwick next November. 
The main supporting races are the $50,000 Cup Day Sprint (1200m) and a $50,000 Super Maiden (1400m).