After going into the race as the only runner to not win a Group 1, Gringotts has broken through to claim the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon.
The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding was very unlucky last start in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup, and he was well-backed in the lead-up to the 1500m contest, jumping at +500 on the fourth line of betting with Picklebet.
Royal Patronage (+290) led the field from the jump, with the eventual winner settling on the fence behind him and Militarize (+8000) on the outside, while Ceowulf (+300), Stefi Magnetica (+1600) and Fangirl (+360) stalked them in the middle of the pack.
Tim Clark released the brakes on the leader as they turned into the home straight, which allowed Gringotts to come off his back and presented Ceowulf with a run behind those two.
James McDonald got going on Fangirl, who was made to travel three wide without cover for the entire journey.
The leaders began to tire in the final 200m, leaving Tommy Berry and Gringotts in front, with Ceowulf and Fangirl motoring home on the outside.
The three runners hit the line together in a thrilling finish, but it was Gringotts who held on in a tight photo over Fangirl and Ceowulf, who both put in lunges in the shadows of the winning post.
Ciaron Maher was able to provide a few words about the victory post-race.
“Fantastic, he trains up at Newcastle on the beach so got to thank James Harding and his team, he’s phenomenal,” Maher said.
“Ozzie, heaps of the owners are here today, they just continually find these.
“Him and Jimmystar, they come into the stable about the same time, they come from the same stud, and they’ve both won a Group 1 at about a similar time, so yeah, rapt for the team, they’ve done a great job, and Tommy Berry, super.”
Tommy Berry couldn’t stop smiling after the win, and he spoke to the media post-race.
“I was smiling for a different reason, it wasn’t for winning but it was just good to see him come back the way he did,” Berry said of the winner.
“You pay the believers and we’re guys that are part of the ownership team and Ciaron and Joe and all the team at home there.”
“He came to me in the middle of the mounting yard today, and he said ‘I know the Doncaster is our main aim but I couldn’t have him any better for today.
“He turned up and he’s just a war horse, he knows where the line is and he fought hard to win today.
“I didn’t really want Zac there to be honest with you.
“I dropped to the fence and I was like, ‘I’ve done you a favour’, but he just cruised up underneath me, I was just hoping Royal Patronage would take me further into the straight and when he was left a sitting duck.
“I knew he’s been in that position a couple of times before and he was just way too good, so it’s a pretty good feeling.”
Gringotts is the +500 equal favourite with horse racing bookmakers in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile futures markets.
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