Almanzor (FR) met with an incredible response to his first crop at the sales, with just two of the 58 yearlings sold making less than the $55,000 outlay for the Danny O'Brien-trained Grinzinger Bishop.
Grinzinger Bishop shocks at Flemington (image Ross Holburt/Racing Photos)
Never a factor when last of 14 at Geelong on June 5, Grinzinger Bishop blew punters out of the water with a barnstorming victory in the Rod Johnson Hcp (1420m) at Flemington.
With Beau Mertens in the saddle, the $81 chance strolled past his better-fancied stablemate Atlantis Tycoon at the 200m to defeat the Magnus colt Magnaspin by three-quarters of a length with the Swear filly Zoe's Promise a half-length back in third.
"He went to Geelong with some expectation, O'Brien said.
"He's a horse that's trialled well and has always impressed us. The Geelong track was really wet, he got back on that soft track. He basically barrier trialled and was rolling in his box the next morning.
"We put a set of blinkers on him on Tuesday morning. The only hope of getting a half-decent surface was to run him in town. I spoke to John earlier in the week and said we're going to run him, we think he's a lot better than what he did at Geelong.
"He's a horse we are hoping might be a Derby horse in the spring. He stayed on super today. We may well (run in the Taj Rossi final). He took the run so well the other day. If he does well over the next fortnight, we could run him in the final, and he's still got ample time to get ready for the back end of the spring."
"I thought he (Atlantis Tycoon) had a good run, and I was expecting better from him, but with these young horses you're still working them out. He may be a 6-furlong horse, we did think 1400 up to a mile, but he might be a run on 1200m horse. You're always tinkering to find out what suits them best early in their career."
Grinzinger Bishop a $55,000 Karaka yearling
On breeding, there is plenty to encourage the belief that Grinzinger Bishop is a derby type.
Bred by Dowager Duchess Of Bedford and Richard Craddock, Grinzinger Bishop By the French Derby winner Almanzor (FR) from the stakes-winning Tavistock mare Tavy.
Consigned by Brighthill Farm to Book 1 of the NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, Grinzinger Bishop was knocked down to John Wheeler for $55,000.
A half-sister to the dam of the top Singapore performer What's New (Casino Prince), Tavy is a granddaughter of the Group 1 ARC Ellerslie Sires' Produce Stakes winner Good Faith (Straight Strike), dam of Tully Dane and Mygoodgrace and granddam of the Group II Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Believe Yourself (Sebring).
Tavy died last year. Her final foal is a yearling Preferment colt that failed to make his $40,000 reserve at Karaka.
Grinzinger Bishop is the third, first crop winner in Australia for Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (FR), who also has three in New Zealand, where he is the runaway leader for first season sire honours following the win of Dynastic in the Listed ARC Karaka Million.
Almanzour
