DUROVA IN A WINNING FRAME OF MIND AT GRAFTON

By Graham Potter | Thursday, July 16, 2026

The Cameron Crockett trained Durova made it an impressive seven wins from nine starts since transferring to the Crockett stable when she stormed home down the centre of the track, finishing with a late flourish to snare Tectonic Plate, who had looked the likely winner inside the final 150m, close to the line, under a finely judged ride by Alysha Collett in the Sir James Kirby over 1000m.

The four-year-old daughter of Russian Revolution was originally trained by Ciaron Maher where she scored her Maiden … and only win … in six starts before relocating to Crockett’s Scone base.

To date, at both the stables she has been in, Durova has either won or finished unplaced, an unusual statistic and a form-line which gives some insight into the mare’s attitude, character and temperament, a factor which Crockett was happy to expand on.

“She is one of those horses who is either right or wrong,” offered Crockett, talking to Sky Channel post-race. “When she is right, obviously, as you can see, she refuses to be beaten.

“She is not easy to train. She is not easy to do anything with. I don’t think she likes wet track either. She’s hit a couple of them.”

While dealing with a horse who has a will of her own will have its difficulties, it also clearly has its positive side as, when Durova locks in her will to win and takes aim at the win, as Crockett alluded to, she really puts in a big shift with an effort which highlights both her ability and her determination to get the job done, as she did at Grafton.

One thing Durova is seemingly not fussy about is which jockey rides her.

Durova puts in when she decides to put in, whoever is on top, with no less than six jockeys … Mathew Cahill, Aaron Bullock, Jason Collett, Ashley Morgan, Nick Heywood and Alysha Collett having ridden her in her seven wins for Crockett. Morgan was the rider who partnered Durova to victory on two occasions.

Another unusual statistic.