Grinzinger Heart claims group two finish

Local trainer Ben Brisbourne enjoyed a stunning result down at Flemington on Saturday, when two-year-old filly Grinzinger Heart stormed to victory in a group two race. Grinzinger Heart ($41) claimed the $300,000 1400m Darley Sires' Produce Stakes in an absolutely flawless run. Surging out of gate four, Grinzinger Heart hit the front early, leading Expensive Taste ($37.30) and Dr Hook ($11) with 1200m to go. Jockey Craig Williams kept close to the inside, holding the lead at they entered the final 800m. The hot favourite heading into the race was Zambales ($1.65) and had made up some ground, waiting for an opening. Zambales pushed wide heading into the straight, as Grinzinger Heart gunned it, desperate to hold onto the lead with 300m to go. With 200 to go, it was a two-horse race, with Zambales rapidly closing the gap on Grinzinger Heart. Ultimately, Grinzinger Heart had enough in the tank to hold on and take the win in 1:22.77, a nose ahead of Zambales, with Expensive Taste and Diameter ($17) close behind. Brisbourne said it was an incredible achievement to take out a group two at Flemington. “It’s massive, it’s obviously something we all strive to do when we start out, you want to compete at the top level,” he said. “You spend a couple of years trying to match it and more often than not you come home with your tail between your legs, so it’s nice to go down there and not just match them in handicaps, but win a group two with a young, progressive horse makes it even sweeter. “It’s her second start, she made her debut three weeks earlier in another good race down there, the Talindert over 1100m. “We always knew she wanted a bit further, so we were happy with her performance first up, running fourth, and we knew she’d improve at 1400m. “We were looking forward to seeing how she matched them on Saturday.” If the result was any indication, Grinzinger Heart would be one to watch in the coming years. “Full credit to the horse, it’s not the way we normally train our horses, she would never have even led in a gallop at home, so for her to be as professional as she was being ridden forward like that and show all the courage in the world in the last 200m was incredible,” Brisbourne said. “She’ll stay and work for now – if we’re happy with her in a few weeks’ time, she’ll head up to Sydney in six weeks for the Champagne Stakes. “If we think she’s had enough preparation, she’ll go to the paddock and have a nice break before being brought back for all of the three-year-old spring races.” The Flemington result caps off a tremendous weekend for Brisbourne, whose runner Star Buyer ($3.70) took out the Towong Cup ahead of Craig Weeding’s Fox Appeal ($6) and Dan McCarthy’s Sir Davy ($16).

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