Multiple Group 1 winning Kiwi galloper Gingernuts continues to firm in the betting for the Group 1 $2m Emirates Stakes (2000m) at Flemington today.
Gingernuts, above, continues to firm in the betting for the 2017 Emirates Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards trained Gingernuts in the $5.50 second favourite on race morning with Ladbrokes.com.au, firming in from $7.50 when the final Emirates Stakes field was released on Wednesday.
The Charlie Appleby trained English raider Folkswood remains at the top of the market order at $5 after running third behind Winx and Humidor in the Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 28.
Sharing the third line of betting at $7.50 are the Darren Weir trained pair, Gailo Chop and the three year old Cliff’s Edge in the Emirates Stakes field that has been reduced to thirteen runners following the scratchings of Tom Melbourne and Sir Isaac Newton.
Gingernuts is a proven Group 1 performer with wins in the Group 1 NZ$1m New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie and in the Group 1 $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill during the Autumn.
The four year then won second up form a spell in the Group 1 NZ$200,000 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings in New Zealand on September 23 before running second to Wait A Sec in the Group 1 NZ$250,000 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings in New Zealand on October 22.
Autridge and Richards who train for the huge Te Akau racing operation out of Matamata in New Zealand, were forced to search for a replacement jockey after leading Group 1 winning jockey Hugh Bowman was ruled out of riding on Saturday because of a careless riding suspension he incurred on Melbourne Cup day.
Former Te Akau apprentice Michael Dee who is now riding successfully in Melbourne, received the call up and will partner Gingernuts who will jump from barrier eleven in the thirteen horse Emirates Stakes field.
“It’s a good pick up,” Dee told AAP.
“I knew my manager was trying to get the ride once Hugh Bowman was suspended.
“I’ve seen pretty much all of his races and I know he’s a good horse and a decent ride in the race.
“We’ll just need a bit of luck from that draw.”
Dee is already celebrating a successful Spring Carnival with two Group 1 wins when he rode Foundry to victory in the Group 1 $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick and then teamed up with Chris Waller to win on Shillelagh in the Group 1 $1m Kennedy Mile (1600m) at Flemington on the first day of the four day Melbourne Cup carnival.
