The Inglis Digital December Sale scheduled for early next month is set to feature the winner of the 2023 Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
Griff scores a career defining win in the G1 Caulfield Guineas - image Grant Courtney
A top class colt prepared by Ciaron Maher, Griff enjoyed a meteoric rise through the three year-old colts division last spring culminating in a dominant victory in the $3million Caulfield Guineas.
Under a heady ride from Ben Melham, Griff used his tactical speed to control the race and proved far too good for subsequent Group I ATC George Ryder Stakes winner Veight in winning by nearly two lengths.
The Caulfield Guineas is a time honoured colts race that is never short on class and the beaten brigade included Group I winning 2YO colts King Colorado, Little Brose and Militarize, who came into the race off a last start win in the Group I ATC Golden Rose, not to mention Southport Tycoon, who emerged as a subsequent G1 winner of the VRC Australian Guineas and MVRC Manikato Stakes.
It was the third stakes win in a row for Griff adding to his earlier victories in the Listed VRC Exford Plate (1400m) and Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes (1600m) when he beat subsequent Group I ATC Australian Oaks winner Autumn Angel. By the end of the spring, the overall prizemoney won by Griff had soared beyond $2million to the delight of his owner Sean Griffiths, who purchased the colt from Widden Stud at Inglis Premier for $80,000.
It doesn't get any better, Griff and owner Sean Griffiths after the Caulfield Guineas - image Grant Courtney
Griff showed good potential from day one. He started three times at two when chasing home subsequent Group I winners Zardozi and Celestial Legend in modest races at Gosford and Rosehill before saluting for the first time at Warwick Farm in June last year.
With the benefit of hindsight, that race provided the big clue as to the real potential of Griff, who won his 1200m maiden that day in quicker time than the fillies division of the race won by Joliestar, who would also go on to spring success winning the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas.
“Joliestar ran a class record time when winning that day and then Griff came out and broke that record so we knew we had a promising horse,” said Sean Griffiths.
“He’s given me an amazing experience as a newcomer to racehorse ownership, but unfortunately has failed to recapture his past enthusiasm for racing this spring as can happen with stallions as they get older.
“As a result I have decided to offer him on Inglis Digital with the hope he will appeal as a stallion prospect.”
Griff is the best progeny to date by Widden Stud's Trapeze Artist, who stands at a fee of $55,000.
A winner at two and a Group I winner at three of a time honoured sire making race in the Caulfield Guineas, Griff also has pedigree being from the first crop of Widden Stud’s Champion 3YO Colt Trapeze Artist, a brilliantly fast son of legendary sire Snitzel.
Trapeze Artist was the Champion Australian Second Crop Sire last season by earnings with 45 winners of $6.6million and Griff was his headline act.
Griff combines the bloodlines of the very best from Widden Stud being from Group III placed Chateau Griffo, a daughter of their champion Golden Slipper winning sire Sebring and he traces in tail female line to influential matriarch Getting There.
The formidable dynasty of stakes-winners tracing back to Getting There has enjoyed a real commercial boom in recent times producing Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Ozzmosis (Newgate), brilliant Group II winning sprinter Splintex (Darling View Thoroughbreds) and untapped juvenile stakes-winner Acrobat (Coolmore), all three of them now standing at various studs around the country.
The Inglis Digital December Sale featuring Griff will go live on December 6 with bidding through until December 11.
