South Australian-trained gelding Gytrash left some of the nations slickest sprinters with windburn following a dominant performance in Saturday’s $750,000 Group 1 in the Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.
Only once further back than third in 15 starts, the Gordon Richard’s-trained son of Lope de Vega had won nothing more than a Listed race at Flemington and his only unplaced effort had been when beaten into tenth place in the Group 1 Goodwood at Morphettville last May at his lone attempt at the elite level.
With Mark Zahra in the saddle, Gytrash was one of three horses to go to the inside section as he tracked leader Redzel.
The odds-on favourite Nature Strip led the four horses who came down the outside but he was clearly in trouble when under attack from Loving Gaby.
Gytrash powered past Redzel inside the 200m to defeated him by a length with Loving Gaby another short neck away third.
It was a maiden Group 1 win for the 68yo Richards who had to nurse Gytrash back to health after he jarred up when second to Crystal Dreamer in the Group III The Heath 1100 at Caulfield last August.
“They just said modify his training, less hard work,” Richard said.
“Water walking, swimming. I don’t think he was 100 percent today. He looked like it, but he’s still got a bit of improvement this prep which will be good.
"He's just a machine. His work leading up to this, Jason Holder rides him fast work for me over in Adelaide and rode him in a special gallop between races and said 'this horse frightens me'."
A $40,000 purchase by his trainer out of the Maluka Thoroughbreds draft at the 2017 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Gytrash advances his record to 8 wins, 4 seconds and 3 third from 15 starts with earnings of $886,750. He was pinhooked out of the 2016 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale for $70,000.
The same year his dam Miss Barley was sold to Einoncliff Park for $26,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale
Gytrash is the best of two winners out of the Fastnet Rock mare Miss Barley who is a half-sister to the Listed winner Strawberry Storm (Thunder Gulch) who is the dam of the stakes-placed Movie (Red Ransom) who is, in turn, the dam of the Listed winner and $1.1 million earner Goodfella (Snitzel).
Miss Barley has a 2yo filly by Demerit named Pouakai. Not served in 2017, Miss Barley missed in 2018 and was covered by Universal Ruler last spring.
From the fourth and final Australian crop of his sire Lope de Vega, Gytrash becomes the 10th Group 1 winner for the son of Shamardal.
