Gringotts (NZ) Graduates to Stakes Class

Exciting Karaka purchase Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto) showed that he belongs on the big stage with an easy win on his black-type debut in Saturday’s A$160,000 Listed Sky Racing Members’ Handicap (1600m) at Doomben.

Gringotts was a $100,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2021, then was passed in at the Ready to Run Sale later that year. His highly promising 13-start career has produced seven wins, five placings and A$590,050 in stakes.

The Ciaron Maher-trained Gringotts made his debut in January of last year and steadily rose through the grades from there, winning four races from maiden up to Benchmark 78 grade between March and October.

The four-year-old kicked off 2024 with a Benchmark 88 handicap win at Rosehill in March and has been flawless ever since, adding the Tamworth Cup (1400m) and delivering a repeat result in his first taste of stakes company in Brisbane on Saturday.

Gringotts was ridden by Jamie Kah in Saturday’s Members’ Handicap. He broke sharply from the starting gates and was prominently positioned in the early stages of the race, but then Kah took him back to find cover in fourth.

The hot favourite was cruising coming up to the home turn, and Kah brought him to the outside and went for the accelerator. Gringotts lengthened stride and took command almost immediately, kicking away with ease and looking well within himself as he strode past the finish line with a two-length margin up his sleeve.

“It just worked out perfectly in the end,” Kah said. “When he jumped, I wasn't going to be that positive, but he jumped and put himself there. It worked out well.

“He surprised me how well he jumped and when I had no cover I was a little bit worried. But as soon as we got cover, he relaxed and he was fine.

“I was very confident on the turn. He's a bit of an overthinker, so I gave him a few just to wake him up, but he was always home.

“I galloped this horse at Moonee Valley months and months ago and got off him and said, 'Who is this horse? Gee he's a nice horse.’ He’s put some good wins together now and he’s in for a nice prep.”

Gringotts is a son of the Savabeel mare Miss Bluebell (NZ), whose dam is a half-sister to the dam of the legendary Winx (Street Cry).

Miss Bluebell has had two foals to race, and both have been black-type performers. Her daughter Millefiori (NZ) (Iffraaj) was bought for $65,000 at Karaka 2020 by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, and she has earned $190,185 from a 33-start career that has produced seven wins along with a second placing in the Listed Great Easter Stakes (1400m).

Vendor	Karaka 2021: Archer ParkReady to Run Sale: Kilmore Farm
Purchaser	Kasa Bloodstock (Waikato)
Breeding	Per Incanto – Miss Bluebell
Sale	Lot 538, Karaka 2021 Book 1, $100,000Lot 202, 2021 Ready to Run Sale, Psd (Res $450,000)
Bred by	Totara Park Stud