Gringotts, a proven Group 1 performer, continues to build on his previous campaigns, and his stable is confident he’ll raise the bar again when he resumes racing as a six-year-old.
Following a brilliant end to last spring with triumphs in the Big Dance (1600m) and The Gong (1600m), the gelding returned in the autumn to secure a major win in the George Ryder Stakes (1500m), defeating quality horses like Fangirl and Ceolwulf.
His last run of that prep came in the Doncaster Mile where he finished mid-field, just under two lengths from the winner. Ciaron Maher’s Sydney representative, Johann Gerard-Dubord, has been thrilled with the gelding’s return to work.
“Gringotts looks outstanding,” Gerard-Dubord said.
“Every prep he looks better but he has come back stronger again and just looks so healthy.”
A trial at Gosford or Warwick Farm is scheduled this week, setting the stage for a first-up appearance in the Winx Stakes (1400m) on August 23.
Gerard-Dubord noted that the Epsom Handicap (1600m) might not suit due to the likely weight allocation, though the King Charles III Stakes (1600m) looms as a key spring goal.
“He will likely start in the Winx Stakes and a race like the King Charles would be a nice race for him,” he said.
“There is the Champions Mile in Melbourne after that.”
Gringotts shares his pedigree with another top stablemate, All Aged Stakes winner Jimmysstar, both sired by Per Incanto.
Jimmysstar is expected to trial in early August, with hopes high that he will be picked for a spot in the The Everest (1200m).
“He’s got the right credentials. He’s done a good job, he has done well at Randwick so I think he deserves one,” Gerard-Dubord said of Jimmysstar.
“He is still a bit wintery but he is a lot stronger. He looks like a real sprinter now.”
Both rising six-year-olds reflect the stamina and maturity of the New Zealand-bred Per Incanto lineage, which Gerard-Dubord believes rewards patience.
“They’re horses where, if you don’t rush them early, you usually get rewarded later,” he said.
Punters looking to back Gringotts in the Winx Stakes or other spring features should check the latest markets at leading Australian betting sites.
