Latest news with #RobbieGriffiths
News.com.au
23-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Jye McNeil eyes hat-trick aboard speedy filly Saluted at Sandown
Jockey Jye McNeil has sights on a hat-trick aboard unbeaten filly Saluted. The Robbie Griffiths -trained daughter of I Am Immortal is a $2.80 favourite in the 1000m 2YO Handicap on Saturday at Sandown. Saluted did exactly that last month at Pakenham and The Valley, able to lead all the way to victory. 'You got to be pretty talented to do that and it's probably a step up again but she's drawn well and her pattern is pretty straightforward,' McNeil said. 'She's fast from the barriers, around (Sandown) Hillside it will be a matter of containing energy for the long straight but there's no reason to say she can't perform at the level she has been.' Saluted is one of three last start juvenile winners in a competitive contest including Frostnip ($5) and Mrs Iglesia ($17), also in hat-trick contention after provincial Cranbourne and Warrnambool wins. Miss Ole, a $3.20 second favourite, placed fifth on debut behind Mrs Iglesia but trialled impressively since. The Clinton McDonald-trained Ole Kirk filly placed second in an 800m heat behind I'mateez recently and that colt franked the form last Wednesday, with a gallant second at Sandown on debut. First-starter Espana, a $17 chance, could easily outperform market expectations. McNeil, who rode Liberami to victory last Saturday at Flemington, is equal 10th in the metropolitan premiership with 30 city winners this season including 10 for Griffiths. 'He's always been a great supporter and become good friends, I've ridden for him since I was an apprentice, some 12-13 years now, which doesn't feel that long ago now,' McNeil said. 'He's supported me my whole career and it's a stable in really good form as well, that always helps.'
News.com.au
19-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Robbie Griffiths wants Melbourne's drought to continue for Verdad at Sandown
Cranbourne trainer Robbie Griffiths wouldn't mind if Victoria's dry spell continued a little longer. Victoria has had below average rainfall throughout the autumn months, which has produced firmer than usual tracks, which suited Griffiths's charge Verdad. Verdad was set to run at Flemington last Saturday before seemingly rare rain forced Griffiths to scratch the gelding to save him for a Sandown meeting a week later. Little rain is in the forecast for Melbourne this week, which would boost the chances of Verdad lining up in a heat of the Winter Championship series. Griffiths said he would like Melbourne's tracks to remain firm enough for Verdad to continue to the Listed Winter Championship Final at Flemington in July. 'He's hopeless on soft ground,' Griffiths said. 'If he's going well enough, he can go back to black type racing. 'He could go back to black type racing in Queensland but they're having a really wet year up there. 'We're probably better off if the drought continues down here, then we can go to the Winter Championship.' Punters maligned Verdad for a period after the four-year-old went 17 months without a win following his easy debut success at Bendigo in September 2023. However, star jockey James McDonald provided the information that has helped Verdad back into the punters' good books, winning his last two outings in good ground, the latest as an odds-on favourite at Mornington last month. 'I think J-Mac was a big plus for his career so far because he said he was just over-doing it,' Griffiths said. 'He said he was in key spots but not saving energy. 'So we put the earmuffs on him and gave him a few quiet trials. 'He's gone back to his normal gear and gone 'win win', on dry ground.'
