Stepping up to the 2000m for the first time off the back of his dominant victory on Melbourne Cup day in the Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m), Henry Dwyer’s progressive 3yo Ghaiyyath gelding Different Gravy was just as classy on Saturday, pulling clear to win the inaugural running of the $400,000 MRC Melbourne Classic.
While currently a non-black type race, the form from the TAB Trophy worked out well in the Melbounre Classic with three of the first four home on Cup day filling three of the top four spots on Saturday.
From barrier five in the 11-horse field, Zahra went forward and settled in fifth with last start winning Savabeel gelding Za Za Best taking the lead.
When the tempo started to increase 600m from home, Zahra saw the opportunity to use the class his mount possessed, pulling between those on either side of him before setting out after the leading duo.
Reeling in Gold Topaz and Za Za Best at the 300m mark, Zahra went for home, exploding four lengths clear abaord Different Gravy before easing down the gelding to win by a length and three quarters.
Working home into second, as he did in the TAB Trophy, Matt Cumani’s Brave Smash gelding Brave Danza took second with another length and a quarter back to Snitz Sonic in third.
“They didn’t go hard early and they backed it off even more in the mid-stages. I think barrier five was a blessing," stated Dwyer.
“Mark was content to let them go a little bit and he also had that horse that was 200/1 on his outside. I’m not thinking for him, but I would have thought he would have known it was 200/1 and was going to drop off.
“He waited and he waited and not go around it, so he was able to pop off at the right time. Everything opened up for him, and he only had to use that turn of foot for 200 metres and then he was throttled down. I think there’s a lot more in store.
“I think he’s learning all the time and getting better. Early doors he used to get on the bridle and get his head up when they came back, but today with that tempo, but also with Mark’s hands, he didn’t do it as much.
“He really settled well in those mid-stages and really allowed himself to use that turn of foot. I think the further the better now that he’s settling.
“He’s earned a spell now, but we’d like to think he’s a Queensland Derby horse in the winter.”
Having now ridden him at his past two starts, jockey Mark Zahra outlined his versatility which is sure to be a positive moving forward.
“He jumped well and there was a bit of pressure from out wide, but he was able to come back,” said Zahra. “He can get on the chewy a little and I really wanted him to come back and be tucked away.
“I was happy to have the horse on my outside, which was a longshot, and I knew it would provide the right cover and drop off at the right time.
“It worked out perfectly in the end. He came off the bridle coming around the bend, but I reckon that was the ground, but when he balanced up, he put them away.”
With the barriers in his last two starts quite different, Zahra was please to see him perform.
“He drew 15 there (at Flemington), so it’s to see him do it both ways,” said Zahra. “I had to drag him back there, but he let rip like a good horse and today he was able to take a spot close to the speed, peel out at the 600, and I was able to clock off late. He won as he liked.
When queried on his potential to stay a Derby trip, Zahra used Observer as a comparison.
“I think so, said Zahra. “I had a bit to do with Observer (G1 VRC Derby winner) which is by the same sire. They get on the chewy a bit like they won’t stay, but they’re very tough and they do stay. I can’t see why you wouldn’t go down a Derby path, for sure.”
Taking his overall record to three wins and two placed efforts from right starts with $421,145 in earnings, Different Gravy was bred and raced by Queensland’s Mr Korey McCormick.
Different Gravy is the lone runner, and winner out of the Godolphin bred Medaglia D'oro mare Venerated, who was purchased for just $6,000 via the 2020 Inglis Digital July (Early) Online Sale by McCormick.
A three-quarter-sister to the Listed-winning, Group 2 placed Federal, Venerated is the dam of an unraced 2yo colt by Earthlight (IRE) named Mr Fluorescent who is also in the Ballarat stable of Henry Dwyer.
From the family of multiple Group 1 winners Broadsiding and Prized Icon, Venerated was covered by Ghaiyyath once again in the following season but there is no result on the Australian Stud Book, before no mare return the following season.
Darley’s Ghaiyyath has surely made a case to have his passport stamped in Australia once again having had 33 Australian runners highlighted by 11 winners, with Different Gravy one of five stakes performers led by this season’s Group 1 VRC Derby winner Observer.
