Racing: Dan's Best rekindles fond memories

Put it down to fate.

There was only one person at Te Awamutu on Saturday who wanted to win the John F Grylls Memorial more than the team behind eventual victor Dan's Best and that was John Grylls' grandson Craig.

Yet again, Craig Grylls was disappointed, this time on the favourite, Sleeping Murder.

However, owner Royce Dowling and his daughter Linda Laing, as trainer, yet again revelled in winning the race that carries the name of one of their great former mates.

Dan's Mate has now won five races for Royce Dowling, who retired from training at the end of last season, and two of them have been in John Grylls Memorials.

The team won the race two years ago and Dan's Best finished seventh last year.

You tend to forget Cent Per Cent has won nearly half a million dollars.

Apart from the odd horse that has dropped back home from the mega stakes of Hong Kong, you don't see horses with that type of bankroll running around in winter.

Having had to deal with issues probably means the very best of Cent Per Cent will not be seen again - he was one of the better 3-year-olds running around Sydney two seasons ago with a Gosford Guineas to his credit - but he's more than handy.

"He's a lovely horse to have around the stables," said part owners and co-trainer Debbie Rogerson after the Te Awamutu Cup.

Saturday was the furthermost journey Cent Per Cent has won over. When Michael Coleman jumped off him a few starts back after finishing fourth at Ellerslie as near favourite, he said: "He probably doesn't quite get the 1600m."

How right can you be? Saturday's race was 1580m.

When conditions suit Sandblaster is difficult to beat.

You can say the same for the horses owned by Peter Setchell and boutique team prepared for him by Keith Opie.

Horses to follow from Te Awamutu: Holloway, Cottonwood Sky and Salvatore.

* Melbourne horseman David Hayes has had a blessed life.

Within virtual weeks of taking over the famous Australian Lindsay Park training operation from his legendary father, Colin, in 1990, he had won Australia's greatest weight-for-age race, the Cox Plate, and the world's then richest race, the Japan Cup - both with Better Loosen Up.

But he might have missed the last opportunity to cap off a benchmark bend in the road of his career when Nicconi was unable to win the July Cup in England on Saturday morning.

It was the group one victory Hayes would have loved to end an era with.

The sale of Lindsay Park to longtime employees Tony McEvoy and Wayne Mitchell has been completed and Hayes will move out of the revolutionary property his father developed against all advice as soon as his new stables are complete at Euroa, Victoria.

It will doubtless be a sad moment - Colin Hayes left this world having trained 91 group one winners from Lindsay Park and David Hayes has a career record of 76 so far.

Lindsay Park, in the Adelaide Hills, has produced the winners of three Melbourne Cups, three Caulfield Cups, six Cox Plates, two Golden Slippers and 10 Blue Diamonds.

* When Central Districts jockey Jonathan Riddell told the Herald a few weeks ago he would probably continue his on-again, off-again jumps riding career just to partner members of Paul Nelson's team, he might not have been allowing for Waitaha Toa.

The useful flat performer has now had two hurdling starts for two wins and dollars are already being put aside to plonk on him in the Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton next month.

Waitaha Toa didn't need to break into a sweat to put the opposition away as he liked at Awapuni on Saturday.

The class of rival will rise sharply next time out, but it will be a surprise if that makes too much difference.