Sport
9 December, 2025
Stiff dancing with Hooves after first feature win
Raced at Mudgee - Friday, December 5, 2025.
Jacob Stiff had his first race ride in late winter 2025 and three months and 10 wins later he has now won a feature event, the $75,000 Robert Oatley-Big Dance Eligibility Mudgee Cup (1400 metres) on Dances With Hooves.
The 18-year-old Jacob Stiff hails from the village of Ballimore, around 30km east of Dubbo, and since beginning his apprenticeship with Dubbo trainer Michael Mulholland has displayed immense ability in the saddle.
His ride aboard the Cameron Crockett, Scone trained Dances With Hooves was outstanding from the outset when he found a reasonable position after jumping from an outside barrier in the 13-horse field.
New Business led from Jacenza, Walking Painting and Aimpoint in the run to the home turn while Dances With Hooves was beginning a move from the back half of the field.
Swooping on the outside, Dances With Hooves ($12) won by a length from Rematch (Aaron Bullock, $3.80) with the $2.60 favourite Istoleamerc (Winona Costin) getting third in a photo from Super Helpful.
Cameron Crockett had earlier supplied the quinella in the 1400 metres Yves Premium Cuvée Class 1 Showcase Handicap when Ghaznavi (Jenny Duggan, $8.50) came from last to beat Jagerschnitzel (Aaron Bullock, $3) by a nose with Amanoah (Jean Van Overmeire, $6) a handy third.
Mudgee-based trainer Cheryl Crockett, the mother of Cameron Crockett, completed a big day for the family when her eight-year-old grey mare The Artefact (Winona Costin, $10 to $7) after racing near the front beat the leader Barcoo River (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $17) and Halo Phenomena (Aaron Bullock, $3.50 equal fav.) in the 1200 metres Wild Oats Wines Country Magic BM 58 Handicap.
The father-and-daughter training partners Brett Cavanough and Georgie Cavanough from Scone landed a winning double with Master Speed and Saratoga Power.
In the 1200 metres Four In Hand Barossa Shiraz Maiden Plate, Master Speed (Kody Nestor, $11) finished quickly from last to account for Bellerata (Mikayla Weir, $6) and Marebello (Grant Buckley, $3.70) while Kody Nestor was also aboard Saratoga Power ($3.80 to $7) a strong fishing winner over The Dramatist (Leeshelle Small, $14) and Stratified (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $6) in the 1200 metres Cup Day Sprint.
The other winners were both ridden by Grant Buckley, the Tracey Bartley, Wyong-trained Banyan Tree ($2.80 favourite) and Butterfly Style ($4.80) trained at Kembla Grange by Mitchell Beer and George Carpenter.
