Warrior Within has been around the traps for more than three years without ever indicating he could win a race like the Listed $150,000 Grafton Cup.

Warrior Within (5g King Cugat – Ava Bolli by Volksraad) had been unplaced in 8 starts this year before breaking through in the Murwillumbah Cup last month.  Despite starting at $26, he proved that win wasn’t a fluke with a rails hugging run to capture the feature race of the year on the Clarence River.

Brisbane winter carnival winners Gold In Dubai (Desert Sun) and Shuffle The Cash (Dash For Cash) filled out the trifecta.

A maiden winner at Eagle Farm as an October 3YO in 2008, Warrior Within is trained by Bruce Hill for the Ascot Lodge Racing Syndicate which is managed by Les Cowell..  He was an $11,000 buy from Hill Haven Stud at the 2007 Gold Coast Magic Millions and changed hands again at the 2007 Magic Millions HIT Sale for $58,000.

“I’ve always had a good opinion of Warrior Within,” Hill said.  “He’s had a lot of knockers but I’ve always had faith in him and luck has finally turned our way.

“He’s been in work for a fair while but is very tough.  We will likely nominate him for some good races in Melbourne during the spring.”

Warrior Within is by King Cugat (Kingmambo) who sired Group winners Devil Moon, Hold It Harvey, King Kool Kat and McClintock during his initial years out here at Widden Stud.

Since leaving the Hunter Valley, he has been hawked around several studs in the southern states.

There’s not much to write home about on the bottom half of Warrior Within’s pedigree, either.  His dam Ava Bolli retired a maiden after a dozen starts and she is a half-sister to the winners Mr Dane (Danske) and Blue Cavalier (Masterclass).