Barracking for scratchings is not quite the sporting thing to be doing but Robbie Griffiths is doing just that for his galloper Autumn Storm to get a run at Sandown on Wednesday.
Autumn Storm, a son of the on-track sensation The Autumn Sun, was third emergency for the Stow Storage Solutions Handicap (1400m) and needs one more runner in the main field of 16 to drop out to keep the rising stayer’s preparation on track.
Autumn Storm, to be ridden by Jye Mcneil, notched a career peak Racing and Sport rating of 94 when finishing second to the Grahame Begg-trained Son Of Solly at Moonee Valley in December and is looking to begin a mid-winter campaign.
“We’ve really got to kick him off because we’ve got our eye on an 1800-metre race in a couple of weeks then into 2000-metre event at Flemington so we are really keen to have him go around,” Griffiths told Radio RSN.
“We thought we’d avoid Bendigo last week from a wide barrier on a wet track but here we are again in the same situation again,” he added with the original barrier 18 draw that has come into 16 after the two scratchings.
“He’s got to get a run, and I wish he’d drawn low because a lot of people scratch from wide barriers but I’d rather him get a run.
“He’s more likely to be a horse that will run on and you follow third-up at Flemington into 2000-metres.
“He’s a nice horse and he is going well.”
Griffiths also has last start winner Divino Cavallo engaged in the MRC Membership Feel The Thrill Handicap (1300m) after taking out a benchmark 64 event at Seymour on June 10 on a Soft 5 surface.
“I was a bit concerned last start not that the track was rated overly bad but more that she would handle it.
“With the sting out of it last time I thought she’d bolted in and I thought it was a fantastic victory.
“With the track being affected tomorrow, if gives me a bit more confidence that she mat handle it.”
The Sandown Lakeside circuit was rated a Soft 6 on Tuesday with up to 5mm of rain predicted toward the midweek card.
