There was another Group 1 photo-thriller on the Golden Slipper Day card at Rosehill on Saturday in the seventh with the Ciaron Maher trained The Big Dance champ Gringotts returning to winning form with a devastatingly close win over Chris Waller‘s ace mare Fangirl in the 2025 George Ryder Stakes results.

Maher’s consistent Per Incanto five-year-old was given a perfectly timed ride by jockey Tommy Berry to salute in his first elite level performance claiming victory in the Group 1 $1 million George Ryder Stakes (1500m) by the barest of margins.

“Fantastic, he trains up at Newcastle on the beach so got to thank James Harding and his team, he’s phenomenal,” Maher told Sky Thoroughbred Central after the win.

“Ozzie, heaps of the owners are here today, they just continually find these.

“Him (Gringotts) and Jimmysstar, they come into the stable about the same time, they come from the same stud, and they’ve both won a Group 1 at about a similar time, so yeah, rapt for the team, they’ve done a great job, and Tommy Berry, super.”

Berry had the gelding, winner of the lucrative $3 million The Big Dance on Melbourne Cup Day in Sydney last November, settled second at the top of the home straight off a good run throughout before moving up to overtake Royal Patronage in the lead 250m out from the line.

The challenges came from Ceolwulf up the middle and Fangirl, who made up all the ground from well back right down the outside, with the latter lunging late as the trio crossed the line tightly together in an epic finish.

It was the brave Gringotts ($6) who held on to deny Fangirl ($5) by a nose with Ceolwulf ($3.90EF) back to his best another nose further back in a close third to complete the exciting George Ryder Stakes trifecta.

The equal favourite, front runner Royal Patronage ($3.90EF), was far from disgraced holding on for fourth.

The Kiwi bred Gringotts won the George Ryder second-up in an improved effort up in grade off a third fresh at Randwick in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m).

He carted a hefty 61kg there only to go down by 0.17 lengths to Iowna Merc with Berry aboard, and the hoop was thrilled to have the horse over the line first in the big race today.

“I was smiling for a different reason, it wasn’t for winning, but it was just good to see him come back the way he did,” Berry said.

“You pay the believers and we’re guys that are part of the ownership team and Ciaron and Joe and all the team at home there.

“He came to me in the middle of the mounting yard today and he said ‘I know the Doncaster is our main aim, but I couldn’t have him any better for today.

“He turned up and he’s just a war horse, he knows where the line is, and he fought hard to win today.”

The Group 1 $4 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 5 is next on the agenda for the now Group 1 winning Gringotts who has firmed into $6 favouritism through Ladbrokes.com.au to win.

Winx (2016) was the last horse to complete the George Ryder Stakes / Doncaster Mile double.

2025 George Ryder Stakes Results

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