Headley Grange, the five-year-old gelding whose career arc reads like a fairytale, is no longer merely knocking on the door of elite racing—he has smashed it down.
His emphatic victory in the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday was the latest, most lucrative chapter in his astonishing run, firmly establishing him as the $4.40 favourite for the $3 million Big Dance on Melbourne Cup Day.
Trained by the astute Joe Pride, Headley Grange now boasts a phenomenal record of 11 wins from 22 starts, a testament to his tenacity and his trainer’s measured approach.
The Alan Brown triumph, which saw him overcome a catastrophic barrier draw of 17, cemented the gelding’s reputation as a “winning machine,” a moniker Pride is content with.
“He’s exceeded all expectations,” Pride said, his satisfaction clear. “Beating a Group 1 winner here at the track and distance in Gringotts is a pretty fair effort. He really is bombproof.”
The trainer is confident the mile distance of the Big Dance is ideal. “I don’t think the mile is a problem for him. I think his best distance is around the mile. He goes on wet or dry, he really is bombproof.”
Integral to Headley Grange’s success is the flawless association with jockey Adam Hyeronimus. The pair have now combined for six wins from seven rides, a strike rate that speaks volumes about their connection.
In the Alan Brown, Hyeronimus executed a ride of pure skill and nerve from the extreme outside gate.
“It makes things very easy for me, he jumps well, puts himself in a nice position, and tries hard,” Hyeronimus said after the win. He then revealed the critical thinking required mid-race to navigate the traffic.
“I ended up in a nice spot early… but the speed must have come out of the race a little bit because Zac was on heels and was forced to take up that three-wide position. I was able to come back and get on the back of him and find that cover again and let my horse travel nicely into the straight.”
The team’s loyalty to Hyeronimus is profound. Owner Bob Manwaring revealed they would bypass the prestigious Group 1 Epsom Handicap because Hyeronimus couldn’t make the required lighter weight. Instead, they will target a different feature race a week later to keep the winning partnership intact for the Big Dance.
“We are going to try and stick pretty loyal to jockey Adam Hyeronimus because he knows the horse well,” Manwaring explained.
Headley Grange’s story began far from the fanfare of Rosehill. Owner Bob Manwaring’s decision to keep him was born of necessity rather than design.
“Being by the stallion that he was at the time, they weren’t really selling that well, so I decided to keep him.” That early gamble has returned riches. “Everyone who did buy into him is over the moon with it. He has literally paid his way the whole time,” Manwaring confirmed.
The horse had to overcome a minor setback at Grafton due to a firm track, but quickly rebounded with victories, including the Listed Civic Stakes and the Group 3 Cameron Handicap at Newcastle.
The Cameron win was particularly remarkable, coming off a “two-week freshen up in the paddock and five weeks back in the stable,” a preparation Pride has clearly perfected. Yet, even as the horse began to rack up victories, tragedy struck: “Just as he started winning, his mum died two weeks after giving birth to her last foal.”
The last few months have been a meticulously planned campaign by Joe Pride. “He came through the grades through the benchmark system. Joe did a great job bringing him through and using each race as a stepping stone, and he just keeps improving, especially since going to Stakes company,” Hyeronimus noted.
His success over the Group 1-performed favourite Gringotts, who had the run of the race but faded late, highlighted Headley Grange’s superior fitness and fighting spirit. Gringotts’ assistant trainer, Johann Gerard-Dubord, acknowledged the favourite’s run: “He had an easy time mid-race, but with such a big gap between runs, I think that told a bit late.”
For Headley Grange, there are no excuses and seemingly no limits. The Big Dance, set for Royal Randwick on November 5th, is the next destination for the gelding who started as a horse no one wanted, but is now the one everyone is chasing.
Big Dance Odds (Win) Headley Grange $4.40 Gringotts $5.00 Tavi Time $6.00 Punch Lane $8.00 Estadio Mestalla $10.
– Tully Potts
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