Autridge Looks to Derby

NZ Racing News reports:

On Saturday Stephen Autridge will get another chance to secure the win he would treasure above all others.

Autridge and his training partner Jamie Richards are likely to have two runners in the $1 million Vodafone New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie, including third favourite Gingernuts.

The Derby tends to be on every horseman's wish-list but in Autridge's ambitions have an edge after misfortune deprived him of a Derby triumph as a jockey on champion three-year-old Altitude in 1981.

“It's at the top of my list and I want one,” Autridge said. “I'm sure I would have had one already if Altitude hadn't bled.”

Going into the Derby on Boxing Day 1981, the combination of Autridge and Altitude was unbeaten in eight starts. Their winning streak included the Great Northern Guineas, New Zealand 2000 Guineas, Levin Classic and Avondale Guineas.

The Bill Ford-trained Altitude dominated Derby betting but suffered a catastrophic haemorrhage during the race and died shortly afterwards.

Gingernuts is no Altitude but they have both been Avondale Guineas winners in their final lead-up. He was not even a Derby entrant when he produced one of the most remarkable runs of the season to upstage his rivals in the Avondale Guineas at Ellerslie nine days ago.

In that 2100-metre race the Iffraaj gelding missed the start before producing a stunning last-to-first effort, recording the fastest closing 600 metres of the day by some margin. That performance was enough to persuade his connections to pay the $30,000 late entry for the Derby, which has a first prize of $600,000.

Gingernuts is now at $7 for the Derby, in a market headed by Savile Row at $4.50 and Sacred Elixir at $5. He will take a strong formline into the Derby, with three wins and a second from six attempts, and according to his co-trainer has improved since his Guineas' victory.

“I watched him work this morning [Monday] and he looks outstanding,” Autridge said. “The way he won the other day, you would think he would run the distance. That's always a big plus and he's had no issues.

“He's done most of his racing on firm ground and that hasn't been a problem but if it rains it won't worry him. We are pretty happy,” Autridge added.

Stable jockey Opie Bosson will ride Gingernuts for the first time on Saturday, with Michael McNab on Beaumarchais.

That Savabeel gelding needs one more withdrawal to make the Derby field but a start for Mongolian Legend might be in doubt after his failure at Matamata last weekend.

“It wasn't a bad run by Beaumarchais in the Avondale Guineas,” Autridge said. “He went around the outside and lost a lot of ground but stuck on and we think he will stay.”

A Derby win by either Gingernuts or Beaumarchais would also be a first for the Te Akau team, who have not been short of classic victories with five wins in the 2000 Guineas and four in the 1000 Guineas as well as a New Zealand Oaks' victory but the Derby remains elusive.

The best result has been a second with Rock 'n' Pop and there have been other minor placings within the past decade with Tell A Tale, Uberalles and Zarzuela.