Lucky Jackson delivers double feature glory

By Jordan Gerrans

Baby Jackson might just be the perfect good luck charm for the training team of Kelli Dawson and Shane Graham.

The partnership of Dawson and Graham was the big winner of the annual Australian Pacing Gold Brisbane Sales Graduates Finals on Saturday evening at Albion Park.

And, in the winning shots, Dawson and Graham’s young son Jackson stole the show and was the centre of attention following the rich feature events.

The Dawson-prepared Maywyn Son Of Lou claimed the two-year-old event for the boys, while Graham’s Sweet Leah Jane was successful in the ladies' race.

Dawson has in recent weeks returned to race-day driving after welcoming Jackson into the world and was in the sulky in the prestigious race on Saturday evening.

Proud father Graham believes Jackson’s presence at the track could be behind their run of glory.

“He's been the good luck charm, the little man,” Graham said.

“Ever since he's come along, we've won some features, so it's been good.

“I should have had him around earlier (laughs). We are all bloody stoked with the results on the track.

“You have them since they are yearlings and you're having them for a long time.

“So, to win one like that, it's pretty rewarding.”

The 36-year-old Dawson made a winning return to the driving ranks in late July after being on the sidelines following Jackson’s birth.

Her comeback victory was behind Maywyn Son Of Lou in a Prelude race before the Final of the APG series on Saturday evening.

Maywyn Son Of Lou put in a devastating performance in the $100,000 event, scoring by more than 17 metres as the hot pre-race favourite.

Young Jackson was there with his mum for the post-race snaps, just as he was for his father shortly after with the victory of Sweet Leah Jane.

It was a red-letter day for the Graham and Dawson team to walk away with both of the rich series deciders.

Jackson was able to have a sleep early in the program before waking up to see his parents score glory in the prominent races.

“It makes it special,” Graham said.

“You have such long days in our game and the other night, it was such a long night and when you win them and have him in them, it just makes it all just even better.

“They're good enough, they're great races to win.

“But, to have him there and to get the family photos, I think anyone with kids says that would be their highlight, when you can just get your photo with your son or your daughter.

“Luckily, he'd come out and he was in a good frame of mind for the photo.”

The 44-year-old Graham is full of admiration for the effort his partner Dawson has put in behind the scenes to return to the bike on race day, while also juggling the growing Jackson at home. 

“She's going well,” he said.

“I don't know how she does it, to be honest. She looks after him and then still helps out around the stables every morning.

“She does a great job and she's just swung back into driving like she hadn't missed out at all.

"She'd been away and hadn't driven in races for 12 month and to come back, she's swept straight back in as good as gold.

“It is good she could win this good race.”

The multiple Group 1-winning Graham drove Maywyn Son Of Lou in two races back in May when Dawson was still on the sidelines and he didn’t trouble the scorers on either occasion.

Since Dawson has returned, the young gelding won well in the Prelude of the series last month before dominating in the decider on Saturday.

Dawson also prepared Maywyn Son Of Lou’s mother Maywyn No Regrets to six career victories with both pacers owned by the Essex clan. 

The stable and ownership group were due a change of luck in the APG series.

Ourbeachgirlmaywyn, who Dawson trained and Graham drove, finished second in the series decider for fillies in 2025.

The year prior, Heza Maywyn, who Dawson trained and drove in the Final, finished third while being raced by the same ownership group.

On Sweet Leah Jane, Graham says his young filly is only small in stature, but she certainly has plenty of talent.