The temptation to chase the ultimate prize in Australian racing is never far away when you have a promising stayer.
But training partners Robbie Griffiths and Mathew De Kock are likely to resist the temptation for this year’s Melbourne Cup with Token Spirit in the hope of being in the race in years to come.
With uncertainty over what horses will be travelling from overseas with tighter veterinary protocols and COVID, Griffiths and de Kock threw in a nomination for the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup, just in case.
But Griffiths said a more realistic option for the stayer, who has just turned four, is to skirt around the outside of the major Cups this year in the hope of building a stayer for 2022.
Griffiths said races like the Moonee Valley Cup, now worth $1 million, the Zipping Classic ($750,000) or the Pakenham Cup may be more suitable this year.
Then early next year, being a Magic Millions purchase, Token Spirit can race for $1 million in the Stayers’ Cup at the Gold Coast.
“With the internationals unknown, both COVID and veterinary, and with a progressive stayer like him, it was silly not to at least nominate and then we can see where we go,” Griffiths said.
“But there’s a lot of money to be won by skirting around the outside. We would be better chasing a big chunk of one of those races than nothing at all and season your horse at the same time.
“He could seriously be a Cups horse in 12 months or even two years with the right seasoning.”
After an impressive win in the Mahogany Challenge Final (2500m) at Flemington on July 3, Token Spirit was pulled from a 2400m at Caulfield three weeks later when favoured to win again.
“His idiosyncrasies were a little off before Caulfield,” Griffiths said.
“He could of either won or run tenth, and the bubble may have burst and there would been no spring.
“So, we pulled up stumps and we can tinker along, look at the international nominations and work out what to do.”
