Cranbourne trainer Robbie Griffiths, right, and jockey Matthew Allan enjoyed their time in the winners’ circle at Flemington after Danzylum’s victory on Cup Day. By Paul Pickering
CRANBOURNE hoop Craig Williams capped a stellar Cup Carnival with an Oaks Day triple and a Stakes Day salute last week.
Williams rode the last three winners at Flemington on Thursday, sparking the streak with a runaway three-length victory on David Hayes’ three-year-old star Stokehouse in the Myer Spring Fashion Stakes.
He then piloted $11 outsider Arinos to a first-up win down the straight in the eight, before climbing aboard $4 favourite Rockpecker for a popular victory in the get-out stakes. That hat-trick followed two seconds on the trot in the fourth and fifth races.
Williams also scored on Saturday with Alexander Fieldes’ in-form six-year-old Capecover in the Group Three Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Williams’ local rival Craig Newitt saluted in the very next race on Rightfully Yours, while Cranbourne trainer Robbie Griffiths snared second with Count to Zero. Griffiths had his time in the winners’ circle on Cup Day, when his five-year-old gelding Danzylum took out the last race.
There was little joy for the Cranbourne trainers on Saturday, particularly given the disastrous performance of sprint star Apache Cat for Greg Eurell in the Group One Patinack Farm Classic.
The popular Cat finished eighth – six lengths behind eventual winner Swick – and is now in doubt for the final leg of the Global Sprint Challenge in Hong Kong next month.
Eurell has said he will only make the trip to Hong Kong if his champ can beat Takeover Target in the Winterbottom Stakes in Perth on 29 November.
