06 April 2026
New Zealand-bred The Storyteller wins at the 'Bool.
The Storyteller (NZ) (Roc de Cambes) took out the feature hurdle, the Galleywood Hurdle (3200m) on Wednesday.
Ridden by Luca Remondet who rode his second winner of the Galleywood having partnered Chains Of Honour to victory in 2024 for Ciaron Maher.
Trainer John Leek said it was apt that both Fengarada and The Storyteller should both win at Warrnambool.
"This really had to happen," Leek said.
"Fengarada and The Storyteller have been flying. They've been breaking a minute for 1000 metres in trackwork.
"It's fantastic for young Luca. We drill him every day. We give him a hard time to get him to improve and he's improving every day.
"I know I can be very hard, and you only have to ask Luca that, but I've had some great jockeys over my time, Mick Patton, Brian Constable.
"They worked for me, and I've never told Luca this, but I made them into jockeys, and I hope Luca puts up with the tough love and we get back here next year and do it again."
Sent out the well-back $3.10 second favourite, The Storyteller held off the $2.10 favourite Highland Blaze to score by 1-¼ lengths with Karburan a further 15 lengths away third.
Remondet started working for Leek around 12 months ago and the Warrnambool jumps double were his first two winners for the trainer.
"I cannot thank him enough," Remondet said.
"He is at me all-the-time. I've been with him a year now and we've been building confidence all-the-time.
"The tactics were to get him to relax behind horses, but it didn't happen. He was very keen behind horses, and I tried to manage him as best I could.
"At the top of the backstraight I had to let him find his action at his jumps, which he did, and at the same time he never stopped.
"From the first time I rode him, I said to John that he is the best horse in your stable, and that will never change in my mind.
"I love him."
The Storyteller was bred by The Oaks Stud and won one race in New Zealand for trainer Stephen Marsh before making the move across the Tasman. The five-year-old gelding has now won seven races in his career and amassed more than $300,000 in prizemoney. - NZ Racing Desk
Golden opportunity with quality filly
Champion jockey Craig Grylls will take time out from domestic duties to continue his successful association with Single Red (NZ) (Vanbrugh) this weekend.
The 36-year-old has ridden the filly in two of her three wins and jumped at the chance to partner the Andrew Forsman-trained three-year-old in her Australian debut in Saturday’s Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m).
“I’m pretty lucky to be given the opportunity by Andrew and OTI Racing, they could have easily put on a local jockey, so I’m really stoked and appreciative,” Grylls said.
The daughter of Vanbrugh confirmed her trip to Queensland with a last start victory at Te Rapa where she accounted for her age group rivals with authority.
“Off a freshen up, I had to work a bit to cross them. She switched off once she got there and put them away pretty convincingly,” Grylls said.
“The step up in trip from the mile the other day, when she was very good, to 1800m on Saturday should be ideal for her.”
All going well, she will run two weeks later in The Roses (Gr.2, 2000m) and then the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (Gr.1, 2200m) a fortnight after, but at this stage Grylls is only booked for the Bracelet ride.
“I’ll just take it step by step and see what the connections want to do,” he said.
Single Red has made impressive progress this year and following a debut fourth, she strung together consecutive wins at Te Rapa and Waverley.
The filly then bridged the gap to black type company when runner-up in the Gr.2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (2100m) and was given a break following her third placing in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
Her form took on further lustre when the winner of both of those events Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) came out and added the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) to her record.
Single Red was bred and raced by Ben Kwok who has remained in the ownership after OTI bought into the filly following her initial success.
She is a half-sister to the Gr.3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) winner Russian Alliance with their dam the English-bred High Chaparral mare Sea Dweller.
Grylls won last season’s New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership with 141 winners and ahead of today’s meeting at Ellerslie, held a 43-win buffer on closest rival Samantha Collett in his title defence.
“It’s been unbelievable again, week in and week out I’ve been getting on really good horses and been able to get the job done,” he said.
“It’s been another whirlwind season, riding plenty of winners so I can’t grumble at all.” - Paul Vettise
Paul Vettise
