Griffiths set to unleash South African import with Group 1 credentials

Trainer Robbie Griffiths is set to unleash intriguing import Catch Twentytwo at The Valley on Saturday.

The globe trotting galloper comes to Australia as a three-time Group 1 placegetter in South Africa and now finds himself in Griffiths' yard following a quick stint in England under Jane Chapple-Hyam.



Griffiths, who trains in partnership with Matthew de Kock, concedes Catch Twentytwo will improve with racing but is keen to see what he does at his Australian debut.

"His form over there is very good behind some top line horses but he hasn't dropped his coat yet," Griffiths said.

"Even though he's full of beans and feeling pretty well he hasn't adapted to our climate just yet.

"Having said that I thought his jumpout was good the other day, the jockey didn't put him under much pressure and British Columbia came out and went pretty good at Sandown.

"He's having his final sprint session on Wednesday morning but Matt (de Kock) and I believe that he'll need this hit out on Saturday to bring him to peak condition."

The five-year-old is one of 17 entries for the Furphy Season Sprint over 1200m and comes into the race clearly with the highest rating (97) of those nominated.

Should Catch Twentytwo turn in a positive performance on Saturday, it could see him shape up in some tougher races during the autumn carnival.

"If he can come out and run a nice race on Saturday, that will springboard him into some nice races in the autumn," Griffiths said.

"We know that whatever happens, he's got a lot of improvement in him.

"Most of his best form is up to 1600 metres, when he was stretched in distance in England he wasn't as effective so I'd say we'll look to keep him in that distance range for the time being until we can work him out."

Meanwhile, the stable will look for a breakthrough win with handy mare Throntari, who comes into Saturday's race fourth-up and ready to peak.

"She's going well, she was caught between horses at Ballarat and had her first go down the straight last start at Flemington and ticked that box," Griffiths said.

"I'd say we'll head to the mares race over 1200 metres on Saturday with her."

......title a tad misleading as this horse to my knowledge never won a Gr1... but best achievement was the 2020 Gr2 Dingaans and ran 2nd in the 2021 Gr1 Gold Challenge and in the Champions Cup of the same year....should he be able to bag a Gr1 down under ....then Peter De Beyer will get a slew of Ozzies looking for Elusive Fort progeny.....

He does have gr 1 credentials...placed 3 times...as the article says

.....just hope that he can find that sort of form down under .....and correctly as they access he was overly tried beyond his best distances in the UK....

.....Wonder who can remember his dam as a 1 time winner under the wrong name in her debut.....:whistle:

....and not only producing this one hit wonder.... as the younger full sister is the rather speedy twice gr1 placed BIG BURN.....

I think it was Hassen Adams horse with Darryl Hodgson if I remember correctly.

.....correct.... won under her stable companion's name of Magic Feet....the fillies were mixed up on the farm and unbeknown to the trainer who had no way of scanning for identity.....horses were still not identified correctly for starting gate certification and nor on the race day when a novice NHRA employee failed to scan the pair because she was afraid of horses.....:S

Catch Twentytwo is a very talented horse, and if he had stayed in SA would have had a very good chance of landing a Gr1. He went down less than half a length to Jet Dark at level weights in the Champions Cup and the same to Rainbow Bridge in the Gold Challenge. He is equally effective at 1400m, 1600m and 1800m. He was the second best 3yo in Gauteng behind Malmoos, and was superior to MKs Pride.
The problem in the UK I believe was the very different track surfaces to what he is used to, not the distance. His first run there was 1800m at Newmarket which is an undulating course. He lost his action when he hit the dip. He was still not disgraced running 8L off a very smart sort. His only other run there was 1400m at Haydock where he was way off form.
I would be very surprised if he were to win at 1200m as a 5yo.
However, I would think that the Aus conditions will suit him better than UK, and from there it is relatively easy to target Hong Kong or Singapore.

He’s not in the final field for tomorrow

Nominated for the 1st of Jan over 1400 at Flemington Race 6

Callan Murray carded to ride. 20/1

Ran 8th of 10 but only beaten 3.1L. Wide draw 1400m. This was a listed race against fair opposition but not group level, so he was well in at the weights. Better than his UK runs but quite a bit below his best. Hopefully can build on this.