Ben Melham had Gris Caro on the pace and he bravely held the challenges of Sydneysider Entirely Platinum and the pacesetting Bonfire.
Fourth to The Cleaner in the Group II Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley on September 6, Gris Caro took his overall record to 6 wins, 3 seconds and 3 thirds from 16 starts for earnings of $299,048.
"With the trip over and everything, he's about 15 or 20kg lighter, he was actually too heavy for the Dato last time, he did too well," trainer Jake Stephens said.
"I actually cut his feed back last night and this morning to take a bit more off him for this."
"We knew he was going to run well but with that draw and everything else, we were a little bit worried but Ben did a great job."
Winner of the Listed Prix Georges Trabaud at just his second start Gris Caro won five of his 11 starts in Europe before being bought by trainer Jake Stephens early last year.
A son of the 5-time winning Winged Love mare Aviane, who won stakes races in Italy and Germany, Gris Caro is by With Approval (pictured) , a son of Caro who stood at Kirsten Rausing's Lanwades Stud in England at the time of his death in 2010 at the age of 24.
Winner of the 1989 Canadian Triple Crown (Queen's Plate, Prince of Wales Stakes, and Breeders' Stakes) With Approval stood for the majority of his career at Brookdale Farm, Kentucky.
