The rise and rise of apprentice Siena Grima continued last weekend with two metro winners and the announcement of a transfer from Tamworth to the Rosehill megastable of Chris Waller.
Grima won at the Kensington Friday meeting on Laurel Hill ($4.40) for Canberra trainer Rob Potter in the 1250-metre benchmark 64, and at Rosehill’s postponed Sunday meeting on Full Hao ($3.30 favourite) for Waller in benchmark 72 company. 
That made it 118 winners in less than two years for Grima, last season’s champion NSW country apprentice. 
Her three-month transfer came on the recommendation of former champion jockey Darren Beadman, who now works for Waller. 
“I think the time is right for her to make the move to Sydney,” Beadman said. “She’s been winning on horses at double-figure odds, not $1.80 shots. It’s a reflection of a rider’s talent when they consistently defy the market expectations.”
Melanie O’Gorman, to whom Grima is indentured, echoed Beadman’s praise.
“From early on I’ve thought she’s capable of going all the way,” she said. “She just wants it so badly and she’s so determined. 
“Because of her attitude, I think this is a great move for her. I’ve always told her to aim high and it doesn’t get any higher than the Chris Waller stable.”
For her part, Grima is under no illusion that she’s made it just yet.
“Three or four years ago, I was riding trackwork at Kempsey and now I’m going to be apprenticed to Chris Waller,” she said. 
“It does make me quite proud of myself. I’m not going to rest on my laurels. It makes me more determined than ever to make a success of this.”
What Grima has achieved is truly remarkable, a tribute to her talent and commitment. Let’s hope her achievements will serve as an inspiration to other apprentices, female and male, as to what can be achieved through hard work and self belief. 
Dances to the Dance
Scone trainer Cameron Crockett has a candidate for next November’s Big Dance after the win of Dances With Hooves ($12) in last Friday’s Mudgee Cup.
The Real Steel mare stormed home from near the rear under apprentice Jacob Stiff to take the 1400-metre feature by more than a length. 
In a thrilling finish to the main supporting race, the Cup Day Sprint (1200m), the Brett and Georgie Cavanough-trained Saratoga Power ($7)won by a head from The Dramatist with Stratified a half-length further away in third place. 
Crockett and the Cavanoughs — who are also based at Scone — shared training honours for the afternoon with a double apiece. Both Cavanough winners were ridden by Kody Nestor, who shared riding honours with Grant Buckley.
Crockett’s mother, Mudgee-based trainer Cheryl, also got on the scoreboard, winning the Wild Oats Wines Country Magic Benchmark 58 Showcase Handicap (1200m) with The Artefact ($7), ridden by Winona Costin.
Around the traps
With Rosehill postponed due to heat, Newcastle’s Beaumont track was the state’s main venue, where Mitchell Bell rode a winning treble and Keagan Latham a double. 
Two winners emerged from the meeting for punters to follow. The first is the Edward Cummings-trained mare Shadashi, who simply annihilated her opposition under apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald, taking the 2100-metre Class 1 by 6½ lengths. 
Later, in the-1200 metre benchmark 64, another odds-on favourite, True Amor ($1.75), romped away to a five-length win under Latham for Randwick-based John O’Shea and Tom Charlton.
At Alburythe same day, Wagga trainer Gary Colvin had an afternoon to remember, leading in a winning treble on the seven-race program, two of his winners ridden by apprentice Holly Durnan. 
At Gunnedah, local Gavin Groth fared best of the trainers with a winning double while the Scott Singleton-trained Scone three-year-old It Stays In Vegas won by 4½ lengths under apprentice Ella Drew impressed in winning a Class 1 by 4½ lengths.
The picnic action was at Cooma Monaro Race Club, where the Cooma Cup (1600m) went to $1.80 favourite Fox Appeal, trained at Wangaratta by Craig Widding and ridden by Justin Stanley.
Bona fide
On a big weekend for Scone stables, Sunday’s 1500-metre Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap at Rosehill went to the Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich-trained Mount Bona ($5), ridden by apprentice Braith Nock. 
Messara described the four-year-old as “a (mare) with a bit of promise”. 
“Braith went up the inside, stayed patient and rode her really well. 
“I knew with the light weight she’d be able to accelerate well and she did. 
“She’s not a big (mare), she’s quite small so it was important he didn’t have to bustle his way out down the straight. 
“He found a clear passage and she was great late.” 
Coming attractions
This Saturday is cup day at Moulamein in the Riverina, with the feature over 1600 metres.
Sunday sees the Shoalhaven City Turf Club conduct its feature meeting of the year, highlighted by the $65,000 Nowra Showcase Cup (1600m), a Big Dance eligibility race. There’s also a $50,000 Super Maiden over 1100 metres.