Lightly-raced four-year-old Mr Griswold has taken an unexpected passage to next month’s Winter Championship Final with victory in the Provincial Plate at Flemington.
The gelding was entered for the sixth heat of Saturday’s championship series over 1420m but was balloted out, forcing the change of plan to run in the 1620m event.
Co-trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra were surprised the gelding couldn’t make the heat field after he finished second to Jungle Ruler at his previous start in another heat at Flemington on June 11.
“We only went for this for this race when he got balloted, and we were little bit worried about the mile third up, Zahra said.
Ridden by Chris Symons, Mr Griswold was an easing favourite from $2.80 from $3.50 and got the better of 10-year-old Riceman ($20) in the last 50 metres to score by a half-neck with Prizum ($17) two lengths away third.
Zahra was impressed with Mr Griswold’s tenacity to score.
“He got flushed out early but to Chris’ credit he didn’t panic, he kept him balanced as long as possible, and got the money,” Zahra said.
Mr Griswold has won four of his 11 starts and has only been out of the quinella four times.
“He has surprised all of us as we thought he was just a nice little midweek horse but he kept improving,” Zahra said.
“His first-up run (eighth at Sandown) was disappointing but the writing was on the wall last start when he ran a super race against Jungle Ruler, probably a seasoned, better horse.
“Since last summer the whole idea was to go to the final of the Winter Championship and now he has won this $100,000 race that’s where we will head.”
With eight qualifying points, Mr Griswold is virtually assured of a start in the $200,000 Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Flemington on July 9.
On Saturday he raced on a dead (4) track but his other three wins have all been on slow and heavy ground.
“If it rains, great, it will bring him into the final even more,” Zahra said.
AAP TURF
