ARMIDALE Jockey Geoff Snowden can claim his biggest racing success in today’s $160,000 Ken Casson Motors Grafton Cup (2350m).

The 45-year old rider jumps back aboard Derivative Receipt in today’s feature race. The pair are reunited after Snowden won on the gelding three starts back.

Originally trained by Keith Hiscox in Armidale the five-year old was transferred to Ballina’s Graham Birney and Sue Birney for that Ballina win due to Hiscox’s ill-health.

Snowden has been Derivative Receipt’s regular jockey and scored his biggest thrill when winning last year’s Coffs Harbour Cup.

“That was my best win,” Snowden said.

“It was the best time and the worst because EI hit not long after. They had a program mapped out for him. Not saying that we would have gone on and won them but EI just couldn’t have come at a worse time.”

While Snowden hasn’t seen Derivative Receipt since Ballina, he’s watched him run third in the Murwillimbah Cup and then win in Brisbane.

“He’s done everything right,” Snowden said.

“He ran a nice race at Murwillimbah and the win after would have topped him off nicely. He’s got a good weight too (53.5kg). He’s been carrying big weights. The only time he’s had 53kg was in the Toowoomba Cup.”

“He comes in well at the weight. And he is an honest horse. He always gives 100 per cent.”

Snowden has ridden in the Grafton Cup a few times before. “But never had a good chance like him,” he said.

He had carnival success yesterday when Straw Vote appreciated a drop in weight to stride to a good win in the Yellow Tail Wines Handicap (2100m).

The Lesley Jeffriess-trained gelding beat Ballina five-year old Leonardo by a length and three-quarters with race favourite Tilmunda, trained by Tamworth’s Paul St Vincent, a half head away third.

Straw Vote was coming off fourths at Tamworth and Grafton.

“He had a very big turnaround in weight,” Jeffriess said.

“He’s been consistent and Geoff Snowden did a great job. Geoff rode him nice, got him across and rode him beautiful.”

Jeffriess trains Straw Vote for a group of owners “from all over the place”.