Edmonds has had the five-year-old chestnut gelding for just three starts, for a ninth at Walcha and a pair of seconds at Grafton and Moree heading into this sizzling sprint named after one of the legends of country racing.

While he hadn't won for Edmonds he'd shown plenty to keep the former champion jockey interested.

Edmonds also praised young jockey Jackson Murphy.

"He's got great hands, it makes a big difference," Shane Edmonds said as he looks forward to more success with Cocky Rocky although that might not be for a little while.

"I might give him a little break now," he said.

"Give him a break and bring him back for the Mother's Gift here (July Carnival). I might lay off a bit on him now."

Cocky Rocky burst clear to beat a good field Zac Attack second and the Sue Grills-trained Attila a closing third after being second last at the 600m.

Coffs Harbour trainer Aiden St Vincent also started So Shy in the race but finished unplaced in a race where the gelding ran in The Jackal's colours.

Memories of The Jackal, a $20,000 purchase by Aiden's father, Tamworth owner/trainer Paul St Vincent, flooded back.

Aiden rode plenty of work on the horse they nicknamed Henry and celebrated some famous victories at Grafton when the big Bite The Bullet gelding with the distinctive racing style won successive Ramornie Handicaps in 2007-2008.

The first year he went close to breaking the Ramornie race record when he ran 1min 08.35secs.

The next year he came back and did break it, running 1min 08.02secs, a mark that stood until broken by Rock Royalty in 2015 and then by Calanda when the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained sprinter stopped the clock at 1min 7.56secs when winning the 2017 edition.

The Jackal is one of seven horses to have won multiple Ramornie Handicaps. Cuban Song holds the record, winning four in succession from 1933 to 1936.

Trovatore (1955-56), Develope (1970-71), High Classic (1980-82), Credit Again (1986-87), and Havasay (2018-19) join The Jackal (2007-08) as dual winners of the 1200m Listed Race.

Paul St Vincent, a former golf pro turned trainer, paid $20,000 for the son of Group 3 and when the affectionately named "Henry" had completed his 74-race career he'd amassed 15 wins and some $1,070,810 in prizemoney.

It included the two Ramornie wins as well as a Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm and a Prime Minister's Cup at the Gold Coast.

In all he won five races at Rosehill, four at Eagle Farm as well as Tamworth, Scone, Quirindi, the Gold Coast and his two memorable Ramornies at Grafton.

"They are great memories," Paul St Vincent said today.

"Winning back to back Ramornies was special. Great they (the CRJC) acknowledge him especially at this time of year too with the Carnival coming up."

Paul is appreciative too of the help, guidance and mentoring he received from Tamworth trainer Merv Corliss.

Sadly Merv is no longer with us but it was his trips to Grafton that he and Paul looked forward to every year.

"We couldn't wait to get there," he recalled.

And even better when "Merv won the Grafton Cup with Akwazoff (1997)", Paul recalled.

"Tamworth's link with Grafton has been amazing too," he recalled.

"Jardel won two Cups in the '70s as well and Stormhill (trained by Timmy Martin) also won the Grafton Cup (2005)."

There were many winners from Tamworth and the North West with the legendary Keith Swan (based at nearby Somerton) winning Ramornies and many other races. He was also named trainier of the carnival one year.

His niece, Sue Grills, also continues to have success in Grafton and also trained the outstanding Border Rebel, who ranks with Akwazoff, The Jackal and Jardel as the city's best racehorses.