John Everson’s Argentinean import Storm Fabulador on Thursday will be out to secure a spot in the upcoming Grafton Cup when the four-year-old contests the Prelude for the Northern Rivers features.

Bernstein gelding Storm Fabulador, a winner of two of their 21 starts to date, is one of 11 gallopers looking to earn a Grafton Cup bid by winning the $17,000 Grafton Cup Prelude (2108m).

The Grafton Cup Prelude is one of the feature races on the nine-race programme at Grafton on Thursday, the meeting kicking off the highly-spruiked July Carnival.

Drawn ideally in barrier three and due to be ridden by Peter Graham, Storm Fabulador comes into Thursday’s showdown on the back of a disappointing seventh behind winner Warrior Within the Murwillumbah Cup (2000m) on a slow track.

Bruce Hill’s Gold Coast galloper Warrior Within backed up last Saturday running a brave fifth beaten less than two lengths by Spechenka in the Caloundra Cup and will now go onto the Grafton Cup, while Storm Fabulador must first show their form.

Everson is confident the horse can bounce back at Grafton, having won a Benchmark 55 event over 2118m at the track two starts back on June 10.

A win this week and Everson will seriously consider Storm Fabulador for Thursday week’s $150,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m).

“I was thinking Grafton Cup next year but we might have a crack at the Grafton Cup Prelude and see what happens,” Everson said.

Bloodstock agent John Foote purchased Storm Fabulador in Argentina for Ian McCauley.

After being prepared by Peter Moody in Victoria following a stretch with iconic Californian horseman Monty Roberts, Storm Fabulador was leased to Everson after only two starts in Melbourne.

“He’s got the makings of a good stayer,” Everson said.

Rivals Storm Fabulador will face in the Grafton Cup Prelude that are also out to stake their claims for the grand final include Ruth Cooper’s last-start winner Circle Of Fame (barrier five) and the John Scott-trained Rodeo Playboy (barrier four).