Gingernuts Crunches Them - Grp 2 Glory

The Te Akau Gingernuts' Syndicate will be in raptures for weeks following a phenomenal performance by their pride and joy Gingernuts (3 g Iffraaj - Double Elle, by Generous) to win the $100,000 Avondale Guineas (Gr. 2, 2100m) on Saturday at Ellerslie, and race into calculations for the $1m Vodafone NZ Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) on 4 March .

Gingernuts appeared to have done his chips when bungling the start but to the credit of rider Johnathan Parkes he never panicked.

“Just as the gates opened he lunged, put his head down, so we missed the kick a little bit,” Parkes said.

“But we were always going to ride him a little bit cold from that barrier (outside of fourteen).
Gingernuts was four lengths behind the second last horse after 100 metres and remained in last position to stand the leader ten lengths at the 600m.

“After that (start) he dropped the bit nicely, relaxed beautifully, and at the 600m I thought about going out but there was quite a few runners looking for a run outwards and I had to ride him for luck and come up on the fence, and when I got stuck into him, gee, he showed a good turn of foot,” Parkes said.

‘Turn of foot' was a touch of an understatement as Gingernuts sprouted wings at the 200m and won easily at the finish by one and a quarter lengths, to shouts and applause from the owners.

Copping the Slow8 footing better than any of his rivals, Gingernuts paid $31.00 & $5.50 fixed odds and $27.30 & $5.30 on the tote in the race sponsored by Retina Specialists.

From a mare that won five races to 1800 metres in Australia, Gingernuts was purchased by David Ellis for $42,500 at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.

“It was a great thrill to win the Avondale Guineas again,” said Ellis, who previously won the race with Te Akau trained Few Are Chosen (Family Ties) in 1994, Tell A Tale (Tale of the Cat) in 2008 and Icepin (Pins) in 2011.

Ellis also paid tribute to the two racing clubs which hosted the meeting: the Auckland Racing Club and the Avondale Jockey Club.

“I bought him as a two-year-old at the (NZB) Ready to Run Sale and I was very thankful that our dear friend Blair Alexander helped me syndicate the horse and there are a lot of terrific people in the ownership.

“Steve (Autridge) and Jamie (Richards) have done a fantastic job training this horse. He is prepared from the barn run by Nicole Shailer and she along with all the staff at home have been working amazingly hard, and I'd also like to congratulate Johnathan Parkes on his first black type win in the tangerine.

“We also bought his full-brother privately and as a young two-year-old we have him going nicely through his paces.”

Gingernuts had earned himself a start in the race with a handsome win in the Rating 65 1600 metres on 30 January at Te Teko. A young horse with professionalism, determination and galloping ability, Gingernuts had produced a meritorious debut second to Group One winning stable-mate Hall of Fame (Savabeel) before winning as a two-year-old and now recorded three wins from six starts and $71,250 in prize money.

Presented in first-class condition by the trainers, Gingernuts glided to the start and one would have been hard-pressed to find a better preliminary amongst his rivals.

“I was devastated to see him miss the kick like that but in fairness to Johnathan he just took his time and realising he wasn't good enough to go around them he took all the shortcuts and he finished off strongly,” Richards said.

“It was a serious step up for him but we wanted to give him a chance. Earlier on in the piece we thought he was a Guineas' horse but he just had a bit of a holdup in the spring and I think we found the niche for him today.

“He looks a real stayer in the making, a little bit of cut in the track is no problem for him and I'm stoked for the owners. There is a great bunch of owners in him. Dave (Ellis) didn't pay a lot for him at the sales but they come in all shapes and sizes and I'm pleased for everyone at home because they're all doing a great job.

“It was quite a serious win, wasn't it”? Richards added.

With regards seeing out the extra three-hundred metres of the Derby, Parkes said: “The way he settles and just comes off the bit nicely, I couldn't see why not”.

Adding weight to his prospects, Gingernuts has the terrific staying influence of Round Table (Princequillo) on both sides of his pedigree - Round Table being the sire of Isolt, who was the dam of legendary stallion Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor).

Somewhat gobsmacked by the performance, TAB bookmakers reacted by shortening his Derby quote to $8.00- but he doesn't hold a Dervy nomination so the decision on a late nomination will be made early next week.

Gingernuts was strapped by Wiremu Pinn.
Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz