Written by Paul Vettise
Images courtesy of Valachi Downs Stud
A new partnership made a dream start at New Plymouth where Craig Grylls rode the Kevin Hickman-bred and owned mare Zareeba (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) to victory on Thursday.
Just the previous day, Grylls had penned a contract to be the retained rider for Hickman, whose Valachi Downs operation at Matamata houses the vast majority of his racing team under the watch of private trainer Stephen Autridge.
“It’s a terrific start - first ride, first winner and hopefully plenty more to come,” Valachi manager Jonathan Scully said.
“We were sick of being left with the last riders to choose from and we want consistency. Craig is a very good, all-round bloke and you talk to anybody around Matamata and they say it’s a great move.
“He’s a solid rider and lives in Matamata. He can do all our gallops, special rides if we need to and ride all ours at the trials. We’ll fly him to the South Island as well if we have three or so runners there.”
“He’s a solid rider and lives in Matamata. He can do all our gallops, special rides if we need to and ride all ours at the trials.” – Jonathan Scully
While Autridge has charge of the main stable for Hickman, he does also have horses placed with outside trainers.
“We just need the continuity and it’s a really good fit for us,” Scully said. “He came and had a meeting with Kevin and Jo and I and Stephen and we like to bring like-minded people on board at Valachi. He’s part of the family now.”
Craig Grylls
Grylls, 29, has followed in the riding footsteps of his late grandfather John and father Gary, while his sister Bridget has also ridden successfully on both sides of the Tasman.
He is closing in on 800 New Zealand winners with more than 50 of them at Group or Listed level. He returned home earlier this year following a successful 18-month stint in Singapore.
Grylls quickly posted the ninth Group 1 victory of his career when successful aboard Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia d’Oro {USA}) in last season’s New Zealand Derby.
He was particularly impressed with the quality of well-bred young horses progressing through the Valachi system.
“Stephen has got about 80 on the books and another 40 coming through this year and he’s got a beautiful handful of 2-year-old colts,” Scully said.
“Stephen has got about 80 on the books and another 40 coming through this year and he’s got a beautiful handful of 2-year-old colts.” – Jonathan Scully
“Among them is a Shamexpress half-brother to Vespa, the Frankel colt out of Silent Achiever and a Reliable Man out of Galshaaan.”
Another one to have already showed his ability is Jamieson’s Tipple (NZ), a colt by Charm Spirit (Ire) out of Ireland’s Teardrop (Ire) (Fastnet Rock).
Jonathan Scully and Stephen Autridge
“Craig won on him at the Te Aroha trials on Tuesday and he came back beaming. He said the colt had another six gears left,” Scully said.
Valachi Downs’ Book 1 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Sale next year will include another half-brother by Shamexpress (NZ) to the Karaka Million winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter Vespa (NZ) and a half-brother by Vadamos (Fr) to Tuesday winner Zareeba (Vadamos (Fr).
They are out of Surooh (USA) (Pivotal {GB}), who is an unraced daughter of the G3 Milan Premio Bagutta winner Alabaq (USA) (Riverman {USA}). She is out of the five-time Group 1 winner Salsabil (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}).
