As Ciaron Maher prepares for the return of Gringotts in the Canterbury Stakes at Randwick, a rival jockey has inadvertently given a major push for one of the race’s key players.
Nash Rawiller developed a strong partnership with Gringotts at the tail end of his most recent campaign, collecting back-to-back victories in the Big Dance and The Gong.
Horse and jockey were pencilled in to reunite in Saturday’s Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m), but following an honest conversation with Maher, Rawiller will instead stick with Lady Shenandoah, who he rode first-up when she flashed home for third to Joliestar in the Expressway Stakes (1200m).
Tommy Berry, who has partnered Gringotts to three wins including his Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) victory last year, takes the reins.
“Nash was riding Gringotts, and he said, ‘Lady Shenandoah was in second gear the other day. Do you mind if I step off and step on (her)?’. I said, ‘no, Gringotts will probably want the run anyway’,” Maher recounted.
“Tommy has ridden him plenty of times as well and had good success on him, so it didn’t make any difference, really.
“He can run really well fresh, and he’s got a good base on him. He has been up at the beach.
“But hearing those words out of Nash, and looking at the way Joliestar hit the line too, those two, I wouldn’t be surprised if they had his measure (on Saturday).”
While Maher expects Gringotts to improve on whatever he does, he is pleased with how well the six-year-old has returned to work.
Half of his 12 wins have been over a mile, and the trainer is contemplating stretching him beyond that for the first time.
However, in the short-term, Saturday’s Canterbury Stakes will provide an ideal pipe-opener ahead of an attempted defence of his George Ryder Stakes crown.
“He’s in good order. He ran in the Liverpool City Cup last time and then the George Ryder. This time he will go Canterbury Stakes to George Ryder,” Maher said.
“He normally runs very well fresh. He had 61 (kilos) last year in the Liverpool City Cup, and I think he ran the fastest last 600 for the meeting and was unlucky.”
Gringotts has only missed a top three finish once in six first-up runs but meets a strong field on Saturday headed by Chris Waller’s two mares along with their Golden Rose-winning stablemate Beiwacht, and Hobartville Stakes runner-up Napoleonic.
