Bathurst preview: Trainer Mack Griffith makes compelling case for newcomer

Trainer Mack Griffith will be at Royal Randwick on Saturday chasing Kosciuszko glory but not before he heads to Bathurst with former Victorian galloper Kuroshinzo.

Mack Griffith is five days away from saddling up Mudgee marvel Compelling Truth ($9) in his first Kosciuszko but will be going about his business as usual until then with a Tuesday visit to Bathurst.

Despite the guaranteed full house at Royal Randwick on Saturday and the $2 million purse, Griffith is cool and calm ahead of what could be a career defining moment for himself and his speedy steed.

“I haven’t really thought about it too much because we’ve had a lot of racing going on,’’ Griffith said.

“There’s not much we can do with Compelling Truth – he galloped well on Saturday, we’ll just tread water from now until Saturday and see what the barrier draw throws at us and go from there.’’

His wish?

“Just single figures.’’ Griffith said. “I don’t think he needs to draw one. That’s probably not ideal for him but just as long as he draws single figures and anywhere there, we’d be happy with that.’’

Compelling Truth justifies the short quote with a dominant victory in the Coonamble Cannonball @DubboTurfClub 💥 pic.twitter.com/LSWdoftpK4

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 19, 2024

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Showers are forecast in the lead-up to Kosciuszko/Everest day but the chances of a Heavy 10 are no more likely than a Good 3.

”He’s won on a 9 so it wouldn’t matter what they throw at us, we’ll be happy just to be there really,’’ Griffith says.

“There are some pretty handy horses in the race so the wet track would take the edge of a few of them.’’

Whether Compelling Truth rises to become the best horse in this weekend’s Kosciuszko remains to be seen but he is peerless among his rivals in the pedigree stakes.

Born and raised at Gooree Park (Mudgee), Griffith’s charge is a son of Champion Sire I Am Invincible out of Speak Fondly, who also raced in the Farm’s famous red and black silks.

Speak Fondly won four of her ten starts including the Silver Shadow, Furious and Magic Night Stakes and was runner-up in Exosphere’s Golden Rose.

On top of that, Compelling Truth’s fourth dam is Who Can Say whose matings with Biscay and Sir Tristram respectively delivered champion filly Bounding Away and the 1994 AJC Metropolitan winner, Glastonbury.

Compelling Truth makes it four-in-a-row and puts his hand up for a slot in #TheKosciuszko! ($51 into $26). @tabcomau 🏔️

Mack Griffith and Jake Pracey-Holmes combine to take the Kirby @clarenceriverjc 🏇💨 pic.twitter.com/ueZckO8jfF

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 18, 2024

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As promised, Griffith’s immediate and current focus will centre on Bathurst on Tuesday where he plans to unveil stable recruit Kuroshinzo.

The almost black son of Mikki Isle was picked up for a mere $13,000 at the Inglis Online Sale in July.

“He has really done well with the break,’’ Griffith reported.

“He’s really furnished since he’s come up here. A bit of time in the paddock has done him the world of good.

“He’s had 13 starts and is still a maiden but some of his runs showed a lot of promise down in Victoria.

“Some of the rides he had didn’t help the horse at all so we just hope to ride him a bit closer than they had him down there and he should go well.

“He trialled well the other day. We didn’t overtax him. We just wanted to get a bit of a feel and see what he is capable of.

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“I was very happy with the way he went. He’ll go close (on Tuesday).

“We haven’t got any big plans just yet. Whether our training keeps him at 1200m for a little bit or we stepped him straight up, we will just see how he goes on Tuesday.

“Race by race really.’’

Kuroshinzo, like Compelling Truth, is a blue-blood of rather epic proportions.

The grandson on Deep Impact is out of a Fastnet Rock mare whose third dam is Coup De Folie, one of the 20th Century’s most influential broodmares.

No wonder, given Coup De Folie’s own grand-dam was Natalma – the mother of the breed-shaper Northern Dancer.

Originally published as Bathurst preview: Trainer Mack Griffith makes compelling case for newcomer