3 minute read

Craig Grylls made the most of his chances on Saturday before the start of a lengthy suspension when he produced a fine display aboard Nothing Trivial to win the Thames Cup.

The 24-year-old showed poise and patience to claim the Coastwood Homes Lockwood-sponsored event on Saturday on the eve of starting a ban for causing interference in the Gr.2 Royal Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

He rode the winner Saavoya, but was deemed to be the culprit that resulted in De Kensington Oval and Ezra coming to grief. He has been suspended from January 4 to the end of the month and also fined $1000.

Grylls gave Nothing Trivial a cosy run three back on the fence and when the field fanned across the track on straightening he brought the five-year-old between runners with a well-timed finish to beat It’s Got To Be You and Keepher Close.

“He travelled well on the fence and the gap came just when I needed it and it was great,” Grylls said.

Trained by Wayne Hillis, Nothing Trivial had finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Counties Cup four runs back and was also a close seventh in the Gr.3 Waikato Gold Cup before filling a similar position in a Rating 85 event at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

He has now won five times for his breeder-owner and long-standing stable client Emma Evans.

Grylls completed a clean sweep of the main events on the Thames card aboard pick-up ride Elusive Gold in the Pak N’ Save Sprint.

With original rider Rory Hutchings stood down with a foot injury, Grylls proved a grand substitute and tracked the leader and favourite Onlyarose to the bend. When she rolled off the fence on the turn he drove the gelding through for a decisive victory.

“That all worked out perfectly and he won really well,” Grylls said.