Racing
Gringotts wins Listed Big Dance: Post Race Trainer and Jockey Quotes
Trainer and jockey quotes after the Listed Big Dance at Randwick on Tuesday taken out by Gringotts.
Race Result:1st: Gringotts (C Maher/N Rawiller) - $3F2nd: Vivy Air (C Maher/A Adkins) - $16
3rd: Lugh (C Maher/R Bayliss) - $31
Winning Time: 1:35.64 Last 600m: 34.96
Margins: 1¼L x ¾L
Double the treasure!
Gringotts goes back-to-back in the Big Dance - and it's a @cmaherracing trifecta, and a winning treble to @nashhot! @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/2OF92C5bN5
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 4, 2025
Winning Trainer: Ciaron Maher (Johann Gerard-Dubord comments)
On the stable producing the Big Dance trifecta: "We tried to show off last year with the first two, but first three, all credit to the team. It's a real team effort, to get all three peaking today and running as well as they did."
"I am very proud of all three horses. Vivy Air was tough. She was good again late and she is very honest."
"Lugh, it was his toughest test he had to face. He had to go forward and do a bit of work and he was very tough."
On the preparation: "Gringotts started the prep at the beach with James Harding. Then he went to Warwick Farm and in between runs he goes to Bong Bong. It's a real team effort.
"But the King Charles was his main target. He had a couple of setbacks, a couple of bad bloods. Physically, the horse was always fine but we didn't want to risk him and we got rewarded today."
Winning a $3 million race is a fair back-up plan: "It's a nice back-up option and that's why we were never, ever worried. Even though we would have liked to get him to the King Charles, this is a lovely race to win."
On the race: "It's a great day today, a lot of prize money, the racing in Sydney is great and it's good to get the job done."
"We knew he was qualified for the Big Dance so that was always a race that was at the back of our minds."
On the connections: "The owners have been very good. They've been patient and it's good to get the win again today with that much weight on his back."
Winning Jockey: Nash Rawiller
On the last run: "I had a lot of confidence after riding him the other day. He jumped brilliant with a month off (last start) and sort of got left in front. I got him into a beautiful rhythm early and then the speed come on from out wide, it just left us a sitting shot late. "
On today's run: "But today, knowing that, I was able to conserve energy the whole race and was still close enough with the big weight. Probably a little bit fitter too. You can tell he's a serious horse, when I let him rip he was quite exciting."
"I always felt like the winner and just the little idiosyncrasies I learnt from the other day we were able to put into place today and the horse was really explosive."
"I think Adam (Hyeronimus on Headley Grange) had his eye on me the whole race and he was probably waiting for me. To my bloke's credit he was going well enough to take the run. 62kgs, well done to the team, it has obviously been a plan for some time."
On the race: "This is a race worth a lot of prize money on one of our most prestigious days, not only for this race but for the Melbourne Cup as well. They've been able to target this race with a really good horse."
On Ciaron Maher training the trifecta: "If you put the money on they will come, this isn't an afterthought this race.They planned this and that's why he is one of the best trainers."
On taking Headley Grange's run: "I don't think I beat him to it, he saw me coming and tried to do his best to hold his line. To my bloke's credit with the big weight he was full of running then. I was mindful of how I rode him the other day, contain energy the whole way and he can be quite explosive, and he was."
On the horse: "He had the feel of a really good horse, he's been terrifically placed off a setback earlier in the preparation. This is a lovely race for a horse like him. Carrying 62kg, $3 million you've got to go a long way to find that sort of prize money. Just thrilled to be a part of it."
Beaten Jockeys:
Adam Hyeronimus (Headley Grange): "Just lacked his normal zip at the 400m. Whether he has had enough or just the big weight."
Jay Ford (Tavi Time): "Ran OK again. He showed no gate speed today which left him further back than we would have hoped. Closed off OK."
Andrew Adkins (Vivy Air): "Gutsy effort. She is going terrific. Tried very hard. Very proud of her."
Winona Costin (Les Vampires): "A little bit disappointing. Just wasn't able to dash with them late. Probably wants further now."
Jason Collett (Ruby Flyer): "He has run well. His racing pattern isn't overly kind. Ran well."
Tom Sherry (Lavish Empire): "He has run well. Barrier 1 is more of a hindrance for him than anything else."
Regan Bayliss (Lugh): "Fantastic effort. He will win a good race like this one day this horse."
Zac Lloyd (Matusalem): "He ran very well. Will improve off that. Nice horse to follow next start."
Braith Nock (Cristal Clear): "Jumped well. Nice run behind them. Stuck late but just a couple a bit sharper."
Dylan Gibbons (Lord Of Biscay): "I'll let you know how he goes once he sees clear air."
Ashley Morgan (Time Quest): "Ran well from back in the field. Probably wants 2000m now."
Alysha Collett (Cranky Harry): "Didn't have much luck from the barrier. Very brave run."
Jake Bayliss (Boys Night Out): "Gate just made it hard for us today. Better draw and he gets more of an economical run. We were in the cheap seats."
Tyler Schiller (Justadeel): "Very honest run. Just probably a bit of a shame we had to wait for the winner to get his run and then follow him. I thought he was really effective late."
Reece Jones (Super Helpful): "A bit of a confidence horse and when I couldn't pass them, he just couldn't go with them."
Dean Yendall (Aix En Provence): "Travelled pretty well. Had to do a bit of work from the outside gate. Obviously got spanked at the 200m. Put straight out of the equation."
Louise Day (Hot Bandit): "Great run. Just very stop start for him and he didn't like the spot we were in. Ran a race."
Anna Roper (Louie's Legacy): "Tries hard. Just a little bit outclassed."
Siena Grima (Ring Ahoy): "Just a bit outclassed there. Still ran on well."
