With seven wins and a luckless second over 1000 metres, Gytrash has the record to stamp himself the best in the land at the distance, which he proved emphatically when running down Nature Strip in Saturday’s Group II Concorde Stakes at Randwick.
Settled back in third place by Jason Collett as the speedballs Ball Of Muscle and Nature Strip set the pace, the 5yo son of Lope de Vega (IRE) looked in a spot of bother at the 300 metres but once balanced up he powered home to defeat Nature Strip (Nicconi) by one and a half lengths with Dirty Work a half-length back in third.
His time of 55.81 gave Redzel’s track record of 55.73 a shake on a track that had not been playing particularly fast.
The South Australian flyer is in Sydney after receiving a slot in the $15 million feature from Inglis, who must be in a buoyant mood at the moment.
“It’s Father’s Day tomorrow but I will take the early present,” Gytrash’s overjoyed trainer Gordon Richard said.
“I thought he was in a bit of trouble turning for home the other two had been held up a bit so they had a kick, but he knuckled down, he’s a good horse.
“The 1200m (of The Everest) will be even better. He has won over 1200m, down the straight admittedly, but he can balance up.
“He will learn from that too, being his first run around here. Whether I give him another run or go straight the Everest we will have to work that out.
Nature Strip eased from $2.60 to $3 for the Everest while Gytrash came in from $11 to $6.
Winner of the $750,000 Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington in February, Gytrash advances his record to 9 wins, 6 seconds and 4 third from 20 starts with earnings of $1,318,050.
Bred by Packaging Investments Australia, Haltrow and Glastonbury Farms, Gytrash was pinhooked out of the Glastonbury Farm draft at the 2016 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale for $70,000 by John Corcoran.
When he went back through the Maluka Thoroughbreds draft at the 2017 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Gordon Richards picked the chestnut up for a discounted $40,000.
The same year his dam Miss Barley was sold to Einoncliff Park for $26,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. The daughter of Fastnet Rock would later go through the Magic Millions Perth Winter Mixed Sale where she was picked up for just $4,000 by Western Australian trainer-breeder Justine Erkelens who would then enter her at this years Inglis Chairman’s sale where she failed to make her $200,000 reserve.
Gytrash is the best of two winners out Miss Barley who is a half-sister to the Listed winner Strawberry Storm (Thunder Gulch), who is the dam of the stakes-placed Movie (Red Ransom) who is, in turn, the dam of the Listed winner and $1.1 million earner Goodfella (Snitzel).
Miss Barley has an unraced 3yo filly by Demerit named Pouakai and has not had a live foal since. She was covered by Universal Ruler last spring but slipped.
From the fourth and final Australian crop of his sire Lope de Vega, Gytrash is one of 73 stakes-winners for the son of Shamardal (USA).
