CEJAY GRAHAM AND THE INFLICTOR READY TO MIX IT WITH THE BEST IN THE STRADBROKE

By Graham Potter | Thursday, June 12, 2025

Cejay Graham is living the dream.

Last Saturday Graham rode an inch perfect race in a driving finish on the Kelly Schweida trained Vodka Martini to take out the Listed Lightning Handicap … a win which gave her particular pleasure as it came on a horse and for a trainer who were both instrumental in helping her career gain traction shortly after she made the life-changing decision to make the move to Brisbane.

Graham has been a success story in town since those early days where she won three in a row aboard Vodka Martini in July and August 2023. Her bond with Vodka Martini includes regularly riding the chestnut in work and also having been in the saddle in ten of gelding’s last eleven starts, so it is fitting that they earned a Winter Carnival feature race win together.

Graham is already a Group 2 winner having guided Kintyre to victory in last season’s Queensland Guineas, and on Saturday the bar will be raised even higher … and the competition will become as intense as it gets when Graham gets the leg-up on the Craig Cousins trained The Inflictor in the $3 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.

Graham was in the saddle when The Inflictor won The Gateway over 1400m at Eagle Farm (the Stradbroke track and distance) back in December … a win which gave The Inflictor a ballot-free entry into Queensland’s signature race.

Including that run, Graham has ridden The Inflictor in seven of the eight starts the son of Under The Louvre has had since Graham first rode the four-year-old. The only run she missed out on was The Inflictor’s last start win where Nash Rawiller did the honours in the saddle.

“I definitely know him inside and out,” stated Graham confidently. “I was lucky to form the association with him a long while back.

“He is a very honest horse. There are not many others that try harder than him. Obviously, it is his hardest task to date on Saturday. It is a massive step up from anything he has ever been in before, but he doesn’t know that.

“I was really pleased when the barrier draw came out. It is going to give us every chance.” (The Inflictor drew barrier number six, which is likely to come into barrier number five on race-day when an emergency acceptor drawn inside him drops way).

“He is not one dimensional,” continued Graham. “He is good in the lead in the sense that he doesn’t like them getting past him … but he is definitely not one dimensional. There is quite a lot of speed in the race and, if they want to go, he can quite easily take a sit and have the drop on them.”

A favourable draw is not the only box that has already been ticked. A massive weight drop is also a big, positive factor.

“Well, he’s dropping 10kg from his last run,” explained Graham. When he saluted in his last start in a BM85 Handicap, The Inflictor carried 61.5kg to victory. On Saturday he will only carry 51kg.

“Also, he has won at Eagle Farm before … that’s where he won The Gateway, so, yeah, all things are looking good leading into Saturday,” added Graham.

‘I was disappointed when Nash (Rawiller) got the ride last time, but I can’t blame them for putting him on with the big weight The Inflictor had to carry that day.

“I’m really grateful for the opportunities I’ve had on the horse … and I’m very grateful for the opportunity I’ve got on Saturday. It was straight after The Inflictor’s win with Nash aboard … the same day … that Craig (Cousins) told me I had the Stradbroke ride.

“I’ve had horses during this carnival that made me very excited coming into it … and I haven’t been able to stick with them with the trainers and owners wanting to go the other way with the Sydney jockeys.

“That’s racing. It’s unfortunate, but that’s the way it is … and that is why you have to not let things get to you and move on. It is just a good reason for me to work a little bit harder and try to be able to stick with horses in next year’s carnival.

“it’s an incentive for me to get that little bit better.

“That’s just another reason why I am grateful for the opportunity on Saturday.

“It is a pleasure riding for Craig and the horse's connections.

“Even just going and galloping the horse on Tuesday at the Breakfast With The Stars, the excitement was there to see on all of their faces. They are just enjoying the week … enjoying the ride … and so am I.

“You can see how much they love the horse. It’s not about the race entirely. It’s the whole experience they are taking in.

“It would be an absolute fairytale to get the job done.”

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