‘How do you beat this?’
Patterson and Grylls combine for feature-race double at Trentham headed by Puntura’s win in the Thorndon Mile
There were joyous scenes at Trentham yesterday for trainer Robbie Patterson and jockey Craig Grylls as they enjoyed a stakes double when they saddled the winners of both the Thorndon Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) and Wellington Cup (Gr 3, 3200m).
Puntura (Vespa), who was running in elite company for the first time in his now 33-start career, confirmed himself as one of the most progressive horses in New Zealand as he powered to success in the day‘s feature.
Having landed both the Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (Gr 3, 1600m) and Manawatu Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) under Craig Grylls on his previous two outings, the six-year-old gelding was sent off a $5.50 chance for yesterday’s Thorndon Mile.
Taking on rivals such as last-start Zabeel Classic (Gr 1, 2050m) winner Campionessa (Contributer), Rich Hill Mile (Gr 2, 1600m) scorer Habana (Zoustar) and four-time stakes winner Skyman (Mukhadram), Puntura was kept handy in second place by Grylls after jumping nicely from barrier seven.
Travelling effortlessly well rounding the home bend, Grylls wasted no time in sending Puntura to the lead and the gelding dug deep down the long home straight to fend off the persistent challenges of El Vencedor (Shocking) and Lady Telena (Vespa), beating those rivals by one and a quarter lengths and one and three-quarter lengths respectively.
“This is just the best,” Grylls said. “Over the last couple of years I’ve struck up a really good partnership with Robbie Patterson on the track, and we’re awesome mates off it as well. That was just an outstanding result.
“Right from the jump, he was hard on the bridle. Coming up to the turn, I thought I should try to get out wide before everyone else did. He had a really good kick in the straight, and I knew from about 150 metres out that it was going to take something pretty good to pass him.
“He’s built up to this. He’s been good in Australia, and then he’s come back and won a Group 3, a Group 2 and now a Group 1.
“He’s a gentle giant. He’s a big and strong horse, but an absolute gentleman to ride.”
From his 33 starts, Puntura has now recorded 11 wins and four placings, earning over $705,000 for his owner-breeders John and Carole and Lynskey.
“This is massive,” Patterson, who also saddled the fourth-placed runner One Bold Cat (The Bold One), said.
“The Lynskeys put a lot into racing, and this is a very good horse. People might have doubted him early on, but now he’s won a Group 3, a Group 2 and a Group 1 in succession.
“He’s a beautiful animal and he deserves it. He’s a big, strong horse, a dominant horse, and he dominated that race today.
“Winning the Thorndon Mile is special. It’s something you dream about as a kid. It means a lot.”
The best foal to come out of the winning Magic Of Sydney (Danehill) mare Mumzahoney, Puntura (6 g ex Mumzahoney by Magic Of Sydney) is a brother to winner Margherita Veloce and a half-brother to two other winners.
Yesterday’s victory for Puntura also provided his sire Vespa (Elusive City) with a first elite-level winner from 89 starters.