Raiders skipper looking for back-to-back Cups

04 February 2017
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Jarrod Croker, Josh Stapleton as well as Brad and Blake Hewitt with Sheza Sharpie following her win at Goulburn last Sunday.

Jarrod Croker, Josh Stapleton as well as Brad and Blake Hewitt with Sheza Sharpie following her win at Goulburn last Sunday.

 AMANDA RANDO | @Amanda_Rando 

THIS time last year Canberra Raiders captain Jarrod Croker was not in town to witness his pacer Tullow win the Canberra Cup due to his rugby league commitments.

But this year the ‘Green Machine’ skipper has certainly made up for that loss with a two-pronged attack in Sunday’s $25,000 TAB.COM.AU Canberra Cup (2570m).

Croker has shares in the mare Supriya and the rig Im Jay Tee and is hoping one of his two pacers can take out the Listed Classic.

“It would be great to go back-to-back in the Cup,” Croker said.

“I missed the race last year as I was playing in the Auckland Nines but that’s not the case this time so I’m looking forward to heading to the track.”

The 26-year-old believes Supriya is his best chance in the feature after drawing well in barrier four.

She is also part-owned by Canberra Raiders Head Coach Ricky Stuart and fellow players Luke Bateman, Shannon Boyd, Elliot Whitehead and former Raiders star Sam Williams.

“She is the better chance,” Croker said.

“She is the Green Machine horse and she has done a great job.

“She has run more seconds than a stopwatch and has hardly missed a cheque, the boys don’t realise how lucky they are to have her as their first horse.”

The first standardbred Croker owned was Im Jay Tee and it’s this sentimental connection that would make Croker just as happy to see him win the Cup.

“Im Jay Tee is the first horse I ever bought and it’s just great to see him back running,” Croker said.

“He had an accident and broke his pelvis and has had a few starts back, he even won at Goulburn a few weeks ago.

“It will be a thrill to see him win the Cup too.”

Both Supriya and Im Jay Tee are trained by Goulburn horseman Brad Hewitt, a long-time friend of Croker’s.

“I’ve been mates with Brad and Josh Stapleton (owner) for many years and it was in 2014 that they twisted my arm to buy a horse and that was Im Jay Tee,” Croker said.

“He won five races straight and it just continued from there, I own six horses now.

“The Hewitts are a great family and they put in a lot of hard work out there at Goulburn and they’ve had a bit of success in recent years which is nice to see.”

This success continued with a new pacer Croker bought into also trained by Hewitt called Sheza Sharpie.

The former New Zealand filly that won first up in Australia last Sunday at Goulburn.

Sunday’s meeting at Canberra culminates the Goulburn/Canberra Summer Carnival. 

 

 

Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 33 racing clubs across the State.  HRNSW is headed by an industry-appointed Board of Directors and is independent of Government.

 

To arrange an interview or for further information please contact:

AMANDA RANDO | MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

(02) 9722 6600 •  arando@hrnsw.com.au •  @Amanda_Rando

 

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