Gingernuts hot favourite for next Group I mission
Gingernuts will return to Hastings in a fortnight to try to add a Livamol Classic win and his growing army of fans have smashed him on early markets with his price at a prohibitive $2.
Gingernuts win over Close Up and Kawi on Saturday in the Group I Windsor Park Plate has made him a clear-cut favourite for the final Group I race of the Hawke’s Bay carnival.
The second line at $7 being is shared by stablemate Chance To Dance, who came into calculations with his Karaka Classic win at Pukekohe, Mime and Volkstok’n’barrell.
Chance To Dance’s win on Sunday for his big syndicate was no surprise and he goes to Hastings as a strong second string for the stable with the parade ring bound to be overflowing with syndicate members.
‘‘He had been working with Gingernuts and nearly working as good,’’ Autridge said.
‘‘He’s like Gingernuts, 100 per cent genuine and he’s high class.’’
‘‘We were as confident as you can get going into a Group I race,’’ said Autridge of Gingernuts chances last weekend.
‘‘We knew he had improved with his run the start before.’’
The G-Nuts team added colour and excitement to the horse’s win and they have re-invested for the next mission.
‘‘We need excitement back at the races and the syndicate around Gingernuts is doing that,’’ Autridge said.
After the Livamol, the Te Akau team will focus on the Caulfield Cup on October 21 with Gingernuts while there is still a question mark around the horse contesting the Melbourne Cup.
‘‘We’ll have a look at the Melbourne Cup after Caulfield,’’ Autridge said.
‘‘If we’re going good enough we’ll consider the Melbourne Cup -we’d love to have a go at the Melbourne Cup.
‘‘The Cox Plate hasn’t been ruled out yet, it’s still a possibility to be considered.’’
One thing Autridge is sure about is that Gingernuts came through the Windsor in top condition.
‘‘He left a bit of feed on Saturday night after arriving home at around 10.30 but last night [Sunday] he never left a thing.’’