Racing: Treble celebrates return

Jockey Luke Currie riding Danzylum wins the Chester Manifold Stakes. Photo / Getty Images

Luke Currie celebrated his return from a careless riding suspension yesterday in the perfect way with three winners from three rides at two different venues.

Currie rode a double at Werribee aboard the Robbie Griffiths-trained Flourishing and the Greg Eurell-trained first starter Freelander.

He then made a quick dash in his car across the Westgate Bridge to Caulfield to take the mount on the Griffiths-trained Danzylum who led all the way in the East Malvern Community Bank Cup (1440m).

The Danzero gelding won the same event at the corresponding Caulfield meeting last year - when ridden by Matt Allen - after having run second in the race the previous two years.

"He's ridden a lot of winners for us and he has a good strike rate," Griffiths said of Currie.

Despite the track upgrade from a dead (5) to a dead (4) after the third race and a notification to stewards that Danzylum would be ridden more forward, the renowned dry tracker was easy in the betting drifting from his opening quote of $8 to start at $10.

Griffiths said he was surprised with the easy 2-3/4 length win over I'm Discreet ($6) with Wealthy Lad ($8) a half-length away third.

"I didn't think they'd leave him alone like that," he said.

"The punters won't like me.

"It's a great positive for the rest of his prep because I do think he was a run off being spot on so I think there is room for improvement."

Three starts after winning this race last season, Danzylum led all the way to win the Chester Manifold Stakes at Flemington and Griffiths said the 7-year-old would follow the same path this campaign.

The Chester Manifold (1400m) is run on January 15.

Danzylum has won 11 of his 57 starts and been placed on another 15 occasions for more than $490,000 prize money.

Currie said the new Werribee track, raced on for the first time in three years after being redeveloped, raced well.

"It definitely had the cut out of it but it is a big improvement on what it was. It was pretty good," he said.

Group One placegetter Grand Duels, who has mixed it with Australia's best sprinters for nearly three years, is taking aim at the Group Three Standish Handicap at Flemington.

The 7-year-old is noted for his straight course ability and trainer Byron Cozamanis said the Standish (1200m) on New Year's Day would be an ideal target for the gelding after he posted his first win on his home track of Caulfield The 65 Roses Victoria Cup (1100m).

Brad Rawiller rode a patient race on Grand Duels and booted him home over the top of Big Spirit to score by 1 lengths with Ortayga three-quarters of a length away third.

Emerging staying star Beijing Boy kept Chris Waller's winning streak at Rosehill going with a determined victory.

Waller has now trained at least one winner at 18 consecutive Saturday meetings on his home track.

Beijing Boy was sent out at $2.70 in the Blackwoods Welter (2000m) with stablemate Strike One the $1.95 favourite.

Beijing Boy parked just behind Deltona and was in the perfect position when the pressure was applied.

Strike One could only get to within 1 lengths of Beijing Boy with Deltona another half length third.

- AAP