Latta eyes Guineas for Dijon Bleu
Dijon Bleu has earned a week off following her early season black type heroics.
The daughter of Burgundy was a runaway winner of the O’Leary’s Fillies’ Classic (1200m) at Wanganui before another dominant display to claim the Hawke’s Bay Breeders’ Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings.
‘‘She’s quite a slight filly, but she’s got a motor,’’ Latta said. ‘‘She’s having a week in the paddock and then we might look at taking her to Ellerslie.’’
Latta has her eye on the Solil- oquy Stakes (1400m) on October 28 ahead of the gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton.
‘‘We’ll get through Auckland first, but Christchurch is definitely in the picture,’’ she said.
Meanwhile, Dijon Bleu’s stablemate Five To Midnight is progressing well toward his spring goal.
The five-year-old will, by design, go into the Livamol Classic (2000m) on a light preparation having recently resumed from a break when eighth on his home track in the Boehringer Metric Mile (1550m).
Latta was satisfied with his per- formance and said Five To Midnight was best served by a minimum of lead-up racing.
‘‘I’m happy with him and he’s improved. He was caught wide on the speed and it was a very heavy track.’’
Five To Midnight ended his autumn campaign with a defeat of Maygrove in the Hawke’s Bay Gold Cup (2200m). He had previously finished runner-up in the Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) and third in both the City of Auckland Cup (2400m) and the Manawatu Cup (2200m).
❚ Expatriate New Zealand jockey Craig Grylls is having the time of his life in Singapore and has welcomed the news that his initial three-month contract has been extended until the end of the year.
‘‘I’m absolutely loving it,’’ Grylls said. ‘‘It has been a great experience so far and I’m starting to get on some good horses now and I’ve got some good contacts.
‘‘They have got great facilities here, a great track to ride on. It’s a good climate with great weather and my weight is the best it has ever been.
‘‘I am just really enjoying it and I am so glad and so thankful I have been able to come here.’’
Grylls said he has been working hard riding track work for a few trainers and has been rewarded with support on race day.
‘‘It took me about a month until I had really broken into the place but I think I am getting established here now and I am getting support from trainers which is a big help.’’
The winner of 46 Group and Listed races, including eight at Group I level, Grylls has so far notched up five wins in Singapore.
He was booked to ride War Affair in this weekend’s Kranji Mile for fellow expat Bruce Marsh, however the 2014 Singapore Horse of the Year was struck down by injury. He will now ride the Cliff Brown-trained Laughing Gravy in the first leg of Singapore’s Triple Crown series.