Youthful Jack caused a boil over in the Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton today, storming down the outside in the final 200 metres of the race to score an upset victory.

Youthful Jack scored an upset victory in the Ramornie Handicap. Photo by: Taron Clarke

As expected a hot pace was set up front early with Adebisi holding a narrow lead from Big Bonanza while Howmuchdoyouloveme was a further four lengths back in third.

Big Bonanza looked the winner with 200 metres left to run, as Adebisi faded badly, but it was Youthful Jack who finished the strongest flashing home to score a one length victory from a brave Big Bonanza and Pentasia.

The win was the third Ramornie Handicap victory for veteran jockey Robert Thompson, who piloted The Jackal to back-to-back wins in 2007 and 2008, while Taree-based trainer Ross Stitt celebrated his first win in the race after eighteen years of coming to the Grafton Cup Festival.

It was a sensational training performance from Stitt who set Youthful Jack for the race first-up even though the gelding failed to beat a single runner home in the George Adams Plate at Launceston (1600m) and Enviropacific Newmarket (1400m) at Newcastle in his last two starts.

The seven-year-old, who was purchased for only $5000, has now won at stakes level on ten occasions and has picked up over $1 million in prizemoney.

Howmuchdoyouloveme started the race as a clear favourite but the 60.5kg was clearly too much for the Written Tycoon gelding who raced flat and could finish no better than fifth.

Gundy Son was the best backed runner in the lead-up to the race but missed the start and was never a contender finishing at the tail of the field.