It was trainer Brett Cavanough’s first win at Port, his first Wauchope Cup and it was Graham’s first ride for the trainer.

The two lengths win by Brazen ($9) thwarted back-to-back wins for Port trainer Marc Quinn with four-year-old gelding Cogliere $6.50), his Explosive Scene having won last year.

Whereas Brazen had a sweet run, Cogliere was forced wide on the turn after being back from his outside barrier.

Cavanough said he only had Brazen to train this preparation and his quests to win other cups were thwarted by hard tracks.

“The soft track played into his hands today.

“He is a pretty smart horse…he has placed in the Grand Prix and Derby in Queensland,” he said.

When told Brazen had automatically qualified for the $80,000 South Grafton Cup, Cavanough said: “That’s better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick.”

Graham had the gelding in third and second place early and coming to the turn he surged to the front, Cogliere making up lengths, to beat Taree three-year-old gelding Blinkin Artie ($6.50) by just under a length.

The heavily backed favourite, Wyong five-year-old gelding Kin Viv ($2.20), trained by Kim Waugh and ridden by Sydney hoop Blake Shinn, was fourth early and battled on for sixth.

Graham told the crowd at the presentation that the win was for Wauchope where he grew up as a youngster.

Another Wauchope “son”, trainer Colt Prosser, and now resident jockey Belinda Hodder, combined for a 2.35 lengths win with three-year-old gelding Salad Dodger ($8) in the Port City Glass Class 2 Handicap over 1506m.

The win was a celebration for the many Wauchope owners, 16 of them and their families who posed for photos with the galloper after the win.

Hodder, who rode a winning double, said of Salad Dodger: ”He goes alright…just a big kid.”

She had the field struggling when she led by up to five lengths at one stage in a good trial for Salad Dodger for the $80,000 Grafton Guineas next month.

Hodder’s other win was on three-year-old gelding Dragoneight ($15), trained at Muswellbrook by Luke Thomas, which scored by three lengths in the Wauchope Motel Class 1 Handicap over 1006m.

It beat the $1.90 favourite Traumatised, trained at Wyong by Kristen Buchanan, which left punters with that feeling after being slow away for jockey Jeff Kehoe and then having to circle wide on the turn.

It was a big day for Port trainer Neil Godbolt who led in two winners and had a close second with Outsmartem ($3) behind Muswellbrook mare Bite The Media ($.40), ridden by Port’s Ben Looker, in the Wauchope Real Estate Benchmark 55 Handicap over 1106m.

Outsmartem was the only placing for Sydney jockey Blake Shinn.

Godbolt’s two-year-old filly Taken On Chance ($4.40) made it three wins from eight starts with a head verdict over Grafton’s She’s Choosie ($1.95) in a well-judged ride by jockey Terry Treichel in the Hastings Co-op Dept Store 2YO Handicap over 1206m.

“She is only a pony but she is a little trier,” Godbolt said.

Godbolt’s daughter and strapper, Alison, was over the moon with excitement after her favourite galloper, four-year-old mare Dreamalina ($17) ,owned by Port’s Keith Simpson, scored narrowly in the M&S Print Wauchope Sprint over 1006m.

“I love this horse,” she exclaimed.

Wyong trainer Johnnie Roberts may been at home sick but that didn’t stop his gelding Sugarland Express ($3.80), ridden by apprentice Blaike McDougall, from scoring in the NBN Maiden Handicap over 1506m.   

Racing returns to Port with a TAB meeting for Port Macquarie Race Club on Tuesday.