Widden Celebrate Griff Caulfield Guineas Triumph

Media Release - Sunday October 15

It was a series of ‘firsts’ when exciting colt Griff (Trapeze Artist) led his rivals a merry dance to score an all-the-way win in today’s stallion-making G1 Caulfield Guineas.

Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, today’s was a third consecutive Stakes victory for Griff who has remained undefeated since heading to Melbourne last month following two runs in Sydney to start his 3YO campaign.

Today’s win was a first at G1 level for Griff’s sire Trapeze Artist – who stands at Widden - and a first G1 result for Widden Victoria, to the delight of Antony Thompson.

Griff was an $80,000 Inglis Premier purchase from Widden Stud.

“It’s such a big result for Widden Victoria, to breed and sell a G1 winner through what was our first draft at the Premier Sale since expanding into Victoria, it’s a real testament to what we’re doing in Victoria and a really proud moment for all of us,’’ Thompson said.

“It was such a good, strong win. It’s also fantastic for Trapeze Artist to really cement his place as such a star stallion of the future.

“We’ve always held him [Trapeze Artist] in enormous regard and we’re not at all surprised but it’s just lovely for him to do it early in the spring and it’s huge for [Trapeze Artist’s owner] Bert [Vieira].’’

Griff is the first G1 winner for Trapeze Artist - image Grant Courtney

Vieira watched today’s races from his home in Sydney and couldn’t hide his excitement when Griff raced away with the Guineas.

“It’s fabulous, he’s such a good stallion and I just knew this horse Griff was a G1 horse and could prove to everyone that Trapeze [Artist] was a star sire,’’ Vieira said.

“I couldn’t believe his price today, he had won two good races down in Melbourne before today and I knew he could do it. I feel so proud.’’

Advertisement

Griff – co-bred by Widden and Adrian Goonan - was an $80,000 Premier Yearling Sale purchase for Kavanagh Racing from the Widden draft.

He becomes the 84th G1-winning Inglis graduate since 2018 and 39th that could have been purchased for $100,000 or less in that same period.

Griff (pictured) led in a quinella for Inglis graduates in today’s Guineas with Veight for Tony and Calvin McEvoy finishing a gallant 2nd.

Winning co-trainer Ciaron Maher couldn’t believe Griff went around at $34.

“He was very quick out of the gates last time and a lot of people said that wasn’t the right form heading into the Guineas and he went around a crazy price as a result but we always thought he had the right form lines,’’ Maher said.

“It was an extraordinary performance. He was up here in Sydney and was running very well and since he’s been in Melbourne everything has gone right for him, the team has done a wonderful job and he’s now a Caulfield Guineas winner.’’

Griff became the third Inglis graduate to win the Caulfield Guineas in the past six years following earlier successes of Ole Kirk (2020) and The Autumn Sun (2018).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Trapeze Artist Colt Wins G2 Stutt Stakes
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Griff stamped his credentials for the Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas when scoring a stylish victory in the Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Career Best Victory for Wentwood Grange Favourite Yearling
Dean Hawkins admits to shedding a tear or two when With Your Blessing was sold as a yearling.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
G1 Golden Rose Field and Barrier Draw
Godolphin filly Tempted will take on eight colts in a nine horse Group One Golden Rose at Rosehill on Saturday where she retains favouritism after drawing barrier eight.
First Stakes-Winner for Trapeze Artist
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Griff put himself in the picture for the Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas when capturing the Listed VRC Exford Plate (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday to become the first stakes-winner for Widden Stud’s promising young sire Trapeze Artist.
Home Affairs 2YOs Shine at Official Sydney Trials
I Am Invincible’s exciting young sire son Home Affairs was the talk of the town after the yearling sales this year when his progeny topped both Magic Millions and Inglis Easter and at Randwick on Monday morning he had two runners at the official 2YO trials and both of them came out winners.
Warwick Farn Winner Griff Makes It Seven for Trapeze Artist
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Griff became the seventh first-crop winner for Trapeze Artist when he led them a merry dance in the Precise Air Maiden Plate (1200m) at Warwick Farm.
Sires With Winners - Monday September 22
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Tara Talks Racing - Trials and Racing
This week we’re talking trials after an insightful set of official 2YO trials in Sydney, plus some racing and how Fangirl will eventually go to stud with two Group I wins less on her resume than there should be.
First trial success for Sword Of State
Cambridge Stud stallion Sword Of State was represented by an impressive trial winner when State Of Valour coasted to victory in his two-year-old heat over 730m at Te Rapa on Tuesday.