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The flying Ciaron Maher trained Gringotts is firming fast in The Gong 2025 betting for Saturday’s feature race at Kembla Grange as the two-time Big Dance champ prepares to defend his title in the mile showdown in Sydney.
The Sydney Spring Racing Carnival action continues this weekend with plenty of prize money up for grabs across the Kembla Grange card including in the day’s feature race – the Group 3 $1 million The Gong (1600m) now in its seventh running.
Sitting top of The Gong field and betting markets at $2.20 through Ladbrokes.com.au is the reigning champion Gringotts carrying the 61kg top-weight.
Despite the hefty kilos the classy Per Incanto six-year-old remains the horse to beat in the mile showdown as he looks to become the event’s first two-time champ.
He saluted from barrier 14 with 60kg last year on the back of a Melbourne Cup Day win in Sydney’s The Big Dance and 12 months on brings in the same form lines having again won that Randwick, $3 million mile clash on November 4.
Gringotts, now a Group 1 winner having won the autumn’s George Ryder back in March, was huge in going back-to-back with 62kg in this year’s Big Dance race in a very brave performance, so the weight looks a non-issue as he looks to keep the good times coming on Saturday.
Nash Rawiller sticks aboard the favourite with the pair drawn well in gate seven.
Looking to end the heroic run of the heavily weighted top elect occupying the second line of The Gong betting at $6.50 is the Joe Pride trained Estadio Mestalla.
The tough Irish-bred Galileo Gold seven-year-old presents fit third-up this weekend and will appreciate stepping out over the 1600m now.
He boasts a lovely 1600m record (8:3-3-0) and has won his only other assignment at the track.
After a win fresh with 62kg over 1100m at Randwick on The Big Dance Day, he was last seen running a credible sixth in Newcastle’s The Hunter only two lengths off Coal Crusher.
On the quick back-up now he’s firing on all cylinders but has suffered another barrier blow.
His The Hunter performance was hampered by his barrier 16 of 16 draw with his best work coming late when coming from last on the turn for home, and he’ll need to be given a gun ride by Adam Hyeronimus to overcome gate 17 this Saturday.
Following closely at The Gong odds of $7 is the Kris Lees trained Tavi Time also out wide in gate 15 with Tommy Berry to ride on 53.5kg.
The six-year-old son of Tavistock drops plenty of weight after carting 57kg last time out when three lengths back to Gringotts in the Big Dance.
He settled further back than anticipated and found himself badly held up in the run home, ultimately finishing a luckless eighth.
He boasts a 50% winning strike-rate from 10 runs over the mile so far, and with a key rider switch this time he’s capable of improving sharply looking a genuine chance to feature in the finish if afforded clearer running.
The rails-drawn Amor Victorious rounds out the hopes under $10 for the win as the early The Gong market mover backed in from $14 to $8.50.
Prepared by Bjorn Baker, the six-year-old mile specialist gets up to his pet distance on Saturday having made a comeback after a year on the sidelines.
In his first start since November 2024, he went around at 150/1 in the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes on Randwick on November 1 and was far from disgraced when finishing a midfield eighth to Jimmysstar.
That form was franked in last weekend’s Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield with Jimmysstar saluting again, while Amor Victorious has been kept ticking over with a successful Warwick Farm trial on November 13 when beating home Overpass by over six lengths.
Having shaken off the cobwebs from his lengthy let off, he’s sure to improve second-up this weekend and will be flying back from 57.5kg to just 53kg with Rachel King coming aboard.
The 2025 The Illawarra Mercury Gong is set to run as Kembla Grange Race 8 at 4:45pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s 10-race card in Sydney.
The Gong 2025 Results
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1st
1. Gringotts (5)
J: Nash Rawiller 61kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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2nd
3. Estadio Mestalla (14)
J: Adam Hyeronimus 55.5kg
T: Joseph Pride |
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3rd
4. New Endeavour (2)
J: Regan Bayliss 55.5kg
T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
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4th
2. Duke De Sessa (3)
J: Adam Farragher 58.5kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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5th
8. Loch Eagle (13)
J: Jason Collett 54kg
T: Kris Lees |
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6th
6. Waterford (11)
J: Dylan Gibbons 55kg
T: Chris Waller |
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7th
13. Tavi Time (12)
J: Tommy Berry 53.5kg
T: Kris Lees |
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8th
18. Ducasse (7)
J: Kerrin McEvoy 54kg
T: Michael Freedman |
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10th
17. Regal Azmon (10)
J: Tyler Schiller 53kg
T: Phillip Stokes |
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11th
7. Territory Express (15)
J: Jean Van Overmeire 54kg
T: Paul Niceforo |
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12th
14. Amor Victorious (1)
J: Rachel King 53kg
T: Bjorn Baker |
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13th
5. Victoria Road (6)
J: Josh Parr 55.5kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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14th
12. Sandpaper (8)
J: Ashley Morgan 53.5kg
T: Bjorn Baker |
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15th
15. Democracy Manifest (4)
J: Zac Lloyd 53kg
T: Chris Waller |
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