Young training star Correy Grenfell has been left with a huge void after announcing the retirement of Group-winning duo Yozo Bale and Knicks Bale after exactly one hundred starts apiece.
“The day has come,” a reflective Grenfell said.
“It’s always a sad day when you lose two of your best.
“It’s been coming, and it was just a matter of picking the right time. I was at the Wheelers’ place on the weekend and with them both having exactly one hundred starts, we thought why not.
“It’s always a sad day when you lose two of your best.”
“They don’t have anything left to prove on the track and it’s time to look to the future.
“There’s a slight chance Knicks Bale might be going to Yozo Bale. It would be pretty special if that happened!”
Yozo Bale (Fernando Bale x Purcell) overcame career-long injury issues to win 32 races, highlighted by three G2 country cups – the 2020 Bendigo and Ballarat Cups and 2022 Geelong Cup – and $384,901 in prizemoney.
“Without his injury problems, he would’ve been a million dollar dog,” Grenfell said.
“He was a dog that really put our training capabilities to the test.
“If you didn’t see what he had to go through you wouldn’t have believed it and his will to win and desire to chase was just incredible.
“He’ll be staying with us and when everything is ready to go his stud fee will be $660 including GST.”
WATCH: YOZO BALE (B3) celebrated his third country cup title at his 93rd start when winning the Group 2 Geelong Gold Cup (520m) at his third attempt on April 22.
Knicks Bale (Kinda Cruel Red x Dyna Willow) staged a remarkable late career turnaround to win 24 times with $310,000 in earnings.
She will be forever remembered for her emotional upset victory in the G1 Hume Cup at The Meadows on November 1 last year, the same day her iconic owner/breeder Paul Wheeler was laid to rest.
“For her to do what she did that night was one of the best wins we’ve had,” Correy offered.
“Earlier in her career, she was just an average bitch and if she wasn’t such a lovely dog she probably would’ve been gone.
WATCH: KNICKS BALE (B5) claimed an emotion-charged victory as a $22 outsider in the Group 1 Hume Cup (600m) at The Meadows on November 1 last year, on the night of her legendary owner/breeder Paul Wheeler’s funeral.
“She was actually nominated for a Tier 3 race between the heats and final of last year’s Wagga Cup. But she made the Wagga Cup final, and I scratched her from the Tier 3 and from then onwards she just went to a different level.
“Tiggerlong Tonk had retired, and it was like ‘Knicks’ said, ‘I’m going to stand up now!’ It was amazing how the transition worked.
“She had her first night inside on the couch last night and carried on like a maniac! She bounced around from our bed to each of the kids’ four beds!”
After guiding dual G1 winner Tiggerlong Tonk through a magnificent 94-start career, Grenfell once again produced a training masterclass in longevity at the elite level with Yozo Bale and Knicks Bale, but deflected much of the credit to wife, Samantha.
“Sam’s involvement with ‘Yozo’ and ‘Knicks’ was the reason they did what they did. She’s the one that kept ‘Yozo’ on the track. Without Sam, there’s no operation.”
Correy and Samantha Grenfell celebrate Yozo Bale’s victory in this year’s G2 Geelong Gold Cup.
