Plenty to Digest

"Plenty to Digest after Griffin follows in Gingernuts' Footsteps" - The Informant's Dennis Ryan reports:

Griffin laid the platform to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious brother Gingernuts when he made a stunning debut at Matamata on Wednesday.

Last May Gingernuts finished second on debut, but just under a year later Griffin went one better with the promise of much more to come. With 200 metres to run in the Don Griffiths Trenching 1200, a minor placing seemed Griffin's lot as the favourite Mongolian Beauty charged for the line with what looked like a winning break.

At that point Griffin was still getting his momentum up in fourth position on the fence, but once rider Michael McNab angled him into the clear and balanced him up, he burst through to cut into Mongolian Beauty's lead and somehow get up for a neck victory.

“That was a big effort,” commented McNab with something of an understatement. “Once he got into stride he just flew, but even then over the last 100 metres he was looking around and not really knowing what he was doing.

“I reckon he might have a bit of his brother in him.”

Co-trainer Stephen Autridge was also suitably impressed, describing Te Akau's latest winner as one with plenty of upside once he matures.

“He'd shown a fair bit in his trials and after originally thinking he'd done enough for now we decided to give him a shot at this race on his home track.

“I like the way he hit the line and the thing is, like Gingernuts he's only going to get better as the races get longer.”

On course to enjoy the moment was Griffin's breeder, Chris Thompson, who had made the trip up from North Taranaki with a couple of mates. Thompson purchased the chestnut's dam Double Elle for just $3000 at a Karaka Mixed Bloodstock Sale in mid-2014. At the time she was carrying a second service to Iffraaj, having produced the foal that was to become dual classic winner Gingernuts the year before.

“He's been a fantastic horse from day one, so good to do things with and with just the best temperament,” said an excited Thompson, who retained a 10 per cent interest after offering him on the online auction website Gavelhouse.com.

David Ellis paid $90,000 for Griffin, who now races for the cleverly named Te Akau Slam Dunk Syndicate.

Double Elle now has a weanling filly by Jakkalberry and is back in foal to the Novara Park stallion, but Thompson has yet to make a decision on the Generous mare's 2017 mating.

“After what Gingernuts has done this season and now with what looks like another pretty smart one coming along, I'll have to think long and hard about that,” he added