Craig Kerry
Joe Pride was happy to see Gringotts in the field for the Alan Brown Stakes as he eyes a “massive chance” of back-to-back wins in the $1.5 million race with Headley Grange.
The Warwick Farm trainer has Headley Grange ($5.50), Private Eye ($26) and Estadio Mestalla ($16) drawn well in the group 3 over 1400m on Saturday at Rosehill.
Pride, though, expected to keep Private Eye for a race next week in Melbourne after he has failed to find his best form on firm tracks at his past two starts in Sydney.
His main hopes again ride with Headley Grange, which overcame a draw in 17 last year to overhaul favourite Gringotts, which again carries topweight of 61 kilograms on Saturday.
Pride was concerned this preparation about weights for Headley Grange after his winter group 1 win in the Kingsford-Smith Cup, but the six-year-old carries just 1.5kg more than last year in Saturday’s Alan Brown.
A far better draw in gate three and two solid runs have Pride confident Headley Grange can challenge again.
“It was a huge win last year to beat Gringotts,” Pride said.
“It’s not bad that weight, when you’ve won a group 1 in between. Gringotts got him into the race a bit better, because we would have had 61 if he wasn’t there.
“He goes better fresh, and he’s had three weeks between runs, and he loves that 1400m, so I think he’s a massive chance on Saturday.”
Headley Grange lifted late to beat Soothsayer in the Tramway Stakes first-up and then was third in the Bill Ritchie Handicap when on-pace runners dominated.
Pride said $3 million Russell Balding Stakes loomed as a likely next target for Headley Grange.
Estadio Mestalla, meanwhile, is on a path to the $750,000 Little Dance on Melbourne Cup day and has the benefit of gate two on Saturday after finishing second to Skyhook in the Shannon Stakes last start.
Headley Grange, Sepals, Gringotts and Linebacker were battling for favouritism in a wide open Alan Brown.
Pride said Anthracite, which has gate one in the third, would be a good chance again. She has missed a placing once in six starts this preparation.
Pride, meanwhile, welcomed news on Tuesday that front-running star Pride Of Jenni would contest next week’s $5 million King Charles Stakes at Randwick when his four-time group 1 winner Ceolwulf chases a third consecutive win in the mile feature on Everest day.
Pride Of Jenni has set a hot tempo up front in both of Ceolwulf’s wins and Pride’s star has hit excellent form, including a last-start second in the Epsom Handicap carrying topweight of 59kg.
“I was pretty happy with that,” Pride said of the Pride Of Jenni news.
As for other runners next week’s Randwick program, Pride said King’s Secret and Coal Crusher would run in the Everest consolation, the $2 million Sydney Stakes, while Attica would contest the Silver Eagle. He said Mazu would race at Caulfield.
Slow climb to Everest field almost there
Jimmysstar was confirmed as the TAB’s runner again in the $20 million Everest on Thursday, leaving two spots open.
The Ciaron Maher-trained star was third despite a wide run last year and signalled a return to form with a stunning victory last start in the Manikato Stakes.
The news left just Yulong, who have Angel Capital as a likely runner, and James Harron to confirm their runners in the 12-horse showpiece at Randwick.
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