Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Can Gringotts strike the Gong twice?
At least, the Ciaron Maher racing team and jockey Nash Rawiller seem to think so.
Fresh off of winning back-to-back $3 million Big Dances, the 6-year-old Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) is heading back to Kembla Grange on Saturday to try and replicate last spring’s feats in the $1 million The Gong. The winner of over $5.5 million in prizemoney for connections hasn’t put a foot wrong in the eyes of Johann Gerard-Dubord, Maher’s assistant trainer.
Gringotts | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“He looks great, his work since the Big Dance has been good,’’ he told Racing NSW on Friday. “We know he likes the mile at Kembla, weight will be no issue, he’s drawn well, Nash knows him well. It’s hard to find a negative.”
“It’s hard to find a negative (with Gringotts).” - Johann Gerard-Dubord
Last year, Gringotts carried 58.5kg to victory in the Big Dance and backed it up with 60kg to win the Gong; fast forward 12 months and he was lumped with 62kg for his Big Dance return, which posed no issue to victory. His impost rises just 1kg for his Gong defence - second seed Duke De Sessa (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) has been assigned 58.5kg.
“He goes on any ground, he’s very versatile,” Gerard-Dubord said. “If the track was on speed like it was last year we could be more aggressive, or we have the option to ride quieter.”
Johann Gerard-Dubord | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He's a marvellous horse,” Rawiller told racenet.com. “I learned a bit about him when we got beaten in the Alan Brown and put those lessons to use in the Big Dance.
“The George Ryder wasn't a fluke. He's a genuine Group 1 horse. I'd love to get the job done on him again on Saturday.”
“The George Ryder wasn't a fluke. He's (Gringotts) a genuine Group 1 horse.” - Nash Rawiller
“It's a rare feat for a horse to carry big weights with success as often as he has in his career,” Maher told racenet.com on the same day.
“Even though he had a lot of weight, it (the Big Dance) was a soft win in the end and it took nothing out of him,” said Gerard-Dubord. “You wouldn’t say he’s improved again, but he’s going as well as he was going into it.”
Last year, Gringotts progressed off of his back-to-back wins to the G2 The Ingham, but was unsuccessful. Gerard-Dubord was of the opinion that the gelding would likely skip a repeat this spring in favour of autumnal riches.
Nash Rawiller | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Even though he was dominant last year, he had a tough run in the Gong and he probably ran a bit flat in the Ingham,” he said. “Unless he won impressively and it was a soft win (he wouldn’t go to the Ingham). There are plenty of nice races in the autumn.”
Meanwhile, Rawiller will relish all of the rides he has on Gringotts, as the 50-year-old hoop acknowledged his career in the saddle won’t go on forever.
“I know the end (of my career) is closer than the start and it makes you appreciate a horse like Gringotts more.” - Nash Rawiller
"They say you know when it's time and I'm not hanging the saddle up any time soon,” he said, crediting his grandson Madden as an inspiration to continue performing at the top of the game. A horse like Gringotts helps him remain motivated as well. "I know the end is closer than the start and it makes you appreciate a horse like Gringotts more."
Arkansaw Kid chases Meteorite redemption
He might have been beaten eight lengths last year, but connections of Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel {Ire}) think the dual G2 Bobbie Lewis Quality winner is in with a solid chance of reversing his fortunes in this year’s $1 million Meteorite.
Jockey Luke Currie, who takes the reins with regular rider Blake Shinn sidelined by injury, believes that a kinder barrier coming from the middle of the pack should let the gelding find a better spot this year.
Arkansaw Kid | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He got back, stayed in, ridden for luck, but didn't get any,” he told racenet.com on Friday. “He only has to bring (his best) and he would be pretty hard to beat.”
“He (Arkansaw Kid) only has to bring (his best) and he would be pretty hard to beat.” - Luke Currie
The gelding arrives at the Meteorite via a Flemington jump-out a week ago, having had his last start in the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. Before that, he defended his Bobbie Lewis crown by half a length.
“I jumped him out last week and he was quite good,” Currie said. “That will bring him up to where the boys (Hayes brothers) want him. He's always been pretty good when he's a bit fresh. He can be sharp when you need him, which will help around Cranbourne.”
Luke Currie | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Arkansaw Kid will give half a kilo to Nadal (Xtravagant {NZ}), last year’s winner who missed the autumn and finished at the tail of the field in his most recent outing behind fellow Meteorite runner Need Some Luck (Rubick) in the Listed Fisher Stakes.
Railway returners do battle once again at Ascot
Of the 16-horse field for the G1 Railway Stakes on Saturday at Ascot, six have run in a Railway before. How have they fared before?
Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) - Four years ago, a then-4-year-old Western Empire won the Railway as the culmination of a six-straight black-type win streak that also included the G2 West Australian Derby. He hasn’t been back since, opting for the G1 Winterbottom Stakes last year, but his five wins since have contributed to him carrying the top weight in the race.
Western Empire | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Magnificent Andy (Magnus) - Fourth in this race last year and winner of the $1 million Golden Saddle in October.
Super Smink (Super One) - Third in this race last year by three quarters of a length. She has yet to win over a mile, and has been at her strongest a furlong shorter.
Super Smink | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Comfort Me (Playing God) - This 9-year-old warhorse has run in four Railways, and was second in his first behind Western Empire. He was second a year later to Trix Of The Trade (Trade Fair {GB}), seventh in 2023, and an agonising second again last year. Fifth time lucky?
Comfort Me | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Bustler (Playing God) - The winner in 2023, and 13th last year - but by only three and a half lengths behind Port Lockroy (Better Than Ready), and three lengths from Comfort Me. Will have to bring his best as he hasn’t won since his Railway victory.
Bustler | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Let’s Galahvant (Galah) - Fifth last year and seems to be at his best now over 2000 metres or more.
First Kiwi juvenile stakes race a chance for Home Affairs to Bang on the door
A smart gelding by first season sire Home Affairs got his sire’s first win on the board three weeks ago at Ellerslie, and Harvey Wallbanger (NZ) heads to Pukekohe Park on Saturday in an attempt to deliver his sire a first stakes winner. The Tony Pike trainee is the only juvenile in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes field of nine by a first season sire, and is one of four last start winners in the field.
“He’s done it very comfortably, a little bit new and green when he hit the front, but I think he has plenty of upside as he isn’t a big horse, but has a very big action,” Pike said after the Wentworth Grange homebred’s debut win.
At the Sunshine Coast, Barrythebarbaric (Barbaric) hopes to claim a first win for his Lyndhurst Stud-based sire in the $85,000 opener - a race that also features impressive six and three-quarter-length trial winner Boots (Capitalist), whose connections turned down a purported $800,000 offer from Hong Kong for the colt.
“At the end of the day there are a lot of owners in him and they bought him with the idea of having a good horse,” trainer Stuart Kendrick told racenet.com on Thursday. A win - or at least, a good performance - would have connections dreaming of the Magic Millions raceday in January. "The way that he did it in the trial, and the time that he ran, was the terrific thing about it.
“At the end of the day there are a lot of owners in him (Boots) and they bought him with the idea of having a good horse.” - Stuart Kendrick
“Obviously they can look impressive in trials, but they have still got to step up to race day. At the moment he has done everything right and it certainly looks like he has his fair share of ability.”
Boots as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Over at Ascot, Capall Gasta (Splintex), Hillside Avenue (Pinatubo {Ire}), and Saints ‘N’ Sinners (St Mark’s Basilica {Fr}) will vie for the $100,000 Magic Millions Crystal Slipper Stakes as part of a field of 12. Darling View Thoroughbreds-based Splintex has 73 foals in his first crop to hit the track, four of whom have already run. His gelded son Capall Gasta will be hoping to atone for pulling up in his first start two weeks ago, whereas the two others by Eastern seaboard-based first season sires will be stepping out on raceday for the first time.
Top seed Beatty (Gingerbread Man) is the only winner in the Ascot race, having been impressive on debut a fortnight ago.
Cranbourne Cup a worthy consolation prize for Statuario
Emma-Lee and David Browne had hoped that the now 4-year-old Statuario (D’Argento) could be a potential G1 Caulfield Cup runner, given what he showed them as a 3-year-old, but the grey gelding has shaped more into a miler as time has progressed. As a result, the Listed Cranbourne Cup - which still carries a hefty $500,000 in prizemoney - has loomed as a target instead, and he lines up as one of the stable’s two changes in the 1600-metre event.
After disappointing over 2000 metres, the grey appreciated the drop back to 1400 metres in the $150,000 Subzero Handicap during Cup week, running second.
Statuario | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“It was a little short for him, but he finished it off really strongly,” Emma-Lee told Just Horse Racing on Friday. “This is a nice progression for him for his next start. We took him to Cranbourne during the week as he does get quite above himself and we’ve found in the past taking him to those gallops always finishes him off quite nicely for the race ahead.
“It (the Subzero Handicap) was a little short for him (Statuario), but he finished it off really strongly.” - Emma-Lee Browne
“He does very well in the paddock, so we’re looking at this race on Saturday and then maybe the Ballarat Cup and then another little break.”
A strong field for the Cup, including last start Group 2 winner Warnie (Ire) (Highland Reel {Ire}) and Group 1-winning Steparty (Artie Schiller {USA}), doesn’t deter the Brownes. Drawing barrier nine softens the blow.
Emma-Lee Browne | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“He went through the early spring getting drawn very wide, so having to go forward,” Browne told racing.com. “I think he's probably a better horse ridden a little bit quietly from the gate. I think that that's a really nice spot for him to jump from.
“He's loved Cranbourne in the past so we're hoping he brings that joy for the track on Saturday. It can be a bit of a courses for horses, so it gives us a little more confidence."
