Autridge gunning for derby win
In-form Gingernuts one of two entrants set to chase elusive prize for trainer
I watched him work this morning [Monday] and he looks outstanding. Stephen Autridge
Stephen Autridge gets another chance on Saturday to secure the win he would treasure above all others. Autridge and his training partner Jamie Richards are likely to have two runners in the $1 million New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie, including third favourite Gingernuts.
The Derby tends to be on every horseman’s wishlist but in Autridge’s case his ambitions were fuelled when shocking luck deprived him of a Derby triumph as a jockey, on champion 3-year-old Altitude in 1981.
“It’s at the top of my list and I want one,” Autridge said. “I’m sure I would have had one already if Altitude hadn’t bled.
“Though I wouldn’t mind an Auckland Cup either.”
Going into the 1981 Derby, the combination of Autridge and Altitude were unbeaten in eight starts, a winning streak that included the Great Northern Guineas, Two Thousand Guineas, Levin Classic (beating Noble Heights) and Avondale Guineas.
Altitude dominated the Derby betting but dropped out after suffered a bleeding attack during the race and died a few minutes later.
Autridge wasn’t far away from a Derby win as a rider two years later, when fourth on outsider Colonial Chief, beaten a short head, a nose and a head, while his best result as a trainer has been a second with Roman Chariot, behind Wahid, in 2006.
Gingernuts is no Altitude but they have both been Avondale Guineas winners.
Gingernuts was not even a Derby entrant when he produced one of the most remarkable runs of the season when winning the Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie at his last start.
The Iffraaj gelding had won a rating 65 1600m at Te Teko at his previous start but drew the outside barrier at Ellerslie and also missed the start. He settled last, saved ground on the turn and burst through along the inner rails to win comfortably, after running his last 600m almost a second quicker than any of his rivals.
He recorded 34.10 for his last 600m on a slow track, with no other runner breaking 35. The next best was stablemate Beaumarchais who ran home in 35.05 when finishing ninth.
It was a stunning performance by Gingernuts and enough to persuade his connections to pay the $30,000 late entry for the Derby, which has a first prize of $600,000.
Gingernuts is now at $7 for the Derby, in a market headed by Savile Row at $4.50 and Sacred Elixir at $5.
Gingernuts takes a strong formline into the Derby, with three wins and a second from six attempts, and has gone ahead since his Guineas victory.
“I watched him work this morning [Monday] and he looks outstanding,” Autridge said.
“The way he won the other day, you would think he would run the [Derby] distance and that’s always a big plus and he’s had no issues.
“He’s done most of his racing on firm ground and that hasn’t been a problem but if it rains it won’t worry him. We are pretty happy.
“He didn’t look like a Derby horse when the original nominations closed [on November 14] but we’ve always had a little rap on him. But he’s been [timid and created] his own problems.
“We thought he was unbeatable at Stratford [at New Year] but he shied at the winning post and then he walked out of the barrier at his next start,” Autridge added.
Stable rider Opie Bosson will ride Gingernuts on Saturday, for the first time, with Michael McNab on Beaumarchais.
Beaumarchais, a Savabeel gelding, needs one more withdrawal to make the Derby field but a start for Mongolian Legend might be in doubt after his failure at Matamata last weekend.
“It wasn’t a bad run by Beaumarchais in the Avondale Guineas,” Autridge said. “He went . . . outside and lost a lot of ground but stuck on and we think he will stay.”
A Derby win by either Gingernuts or Beaumarchais would also be a first for the Te Akau team.
Te Akau has not been short of classic victories with five wins in the Two Thousand Guineas and four in the One Thousand Guineas, plus a NZ Oaks victory, but the Derby remains elusive.
The best result has been a second with Rock ‘n’ Pop and there have been other minor placings within the past decade with Tell A Tale, Uberalles and Zarzuela.