Gringotts leads home Maher trifecta in $3m The Big Dance
Ciaron Maher has created history in the $3 million Big Dance, training the trifecta just one year after preparing the quinella in the same race.
Gringotts ($3 fav) backed up his 2024 victory with another polished performance, defeating Vivy Air ($16) once more, with Lugh ($31) hanging on for third after rolling to the lead.
The defending champion had been preparing for the King Charles III Stakes, but missing his intended run in the 7 Stakes shifted plans back toward the Big Dance.
“It’s funny how things work out,” assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord reflected.
“The King Charles was the race we wanted, but this was always there as a very strong alternative. Today, it was the right call.”
Jockey Nash Rawiller said Gringotts felt a class above.
“I always felt like I had them. When I asked him, the turn of foot was there straight away,” Rawiller said.
Both Vivy Air and Lugh remain in play for Saturday’s $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m), depending on how they recover.
The $750,000 Little Dance (1600m) also saw a strong result from proven class, with Osipenko scoring for the Chris Waller yard ahead of a likely tilt at The Gong.
If you're betting on these races, you can review bookmaker options at the Australian betting sites list.
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