Grafton's 100th cup runneth over with winter staying stars The Clarence River Jockey Club's July carnival started with a bang on Thursday - horse numbers and crowds were well up - and judging by the outstanding list of entries for the Ramornie and Grafton Cup on Wednesday and Thursday, expectations are understandably high. The list of entries for the 100th running of the $150,000 Grafton Cup, in contrast to recent years, contains the best stayers in training. Caloundra Cup winner Zennista, runner-up Voila Ici, Ipswich Cup winner Anagold, Winter Cup winner Destiny's Kiss and runner-up Fiumicino, the Gai Waterhouse trained Reuben Percival, Murwillumbah Cup winner Zar Zar Binks and Melbourne pair Fine De Lago and Mr O'Ceirin head a quality line-up. In Wednesday's $150,000 Ramornie, last year's winner Howmuchdoyouloveme and the Peter Snowden-trained pair Skytrain and Soledad, plus a host of Queensland's best sprinters will ensure an intriguing event. New CEO Michael Beattie has added new life to the carnival and won over Grafton locals. The carnival continues on Sunday, with the $50,000 South Grafton Cup the feature race. Gundagai father and daughter David Blundell and Michelle Russell have entered into one of the first training partnerships of its kind. Russell said it was timely for them to join forces with 20 horses in training. "Dad has been training for a long time and this partnership allows us both to have a bit more freedom and combine our resources," she said. Russell said with a young son to consider, the partnership allowed both parties time to do activities outside racing. Russell's husband Clayton also rides trackwork for the stable as do both trainers. As for who is the boss, Russell said it was a team effort. "We both are ... at this stage," she laughed. The pair celebrated their first winner together with All On Red at Canberra on June 28. Officials at Enngonia, north of Bourke near the Queensland border, will be hoping for better luck next Saturday. The club has missed staging its once-a-year meeting for the past four years - three to washouts and one through EI. The feature race is the $9000 Enngonia Cup (1600m). The $9500 Mungindi Cup is conducted on the same day. The breeding of the Jeremy Sylvester-trained Youthful King, winner of last week's Jungle Juice Cup at Cessnock, traces back to the late trainer Tommy Watson, one of the great characters of the Hunter Valley region. In 2000, Watson beat off doggers to secure a yearling filly in Sydney for $250 named Supreme Whiskey. She was unwanted because she suffered an injury on the way to the sale. Raced in the ownership of his daughter Deleis, the filly managed five placings from 13 starts before being mated with Youthful Legs. The ensuing foal, Youthful King, turned out to be Supreme Whiskey's only offspring. After producing a dead foal the following year, Supreme Whiskey died the next season. Youthful King, raced by Deleis Watson and Sylvester, also won the Jungle Juice Cup in 2011. TAB meetings: Today - Grafton. Monday - Corowa, Muswellbrook. Tuesday - Wellington. Wednesday - Grafton. Thursday - Grafton. Friday - Goulburn, Tamworth.