Grinzinger Knight chasing Rockhampton Cup berth

By Glenn Davis

Toowoomba trainer Harry Richardson will consider a throw at the stumps for the Rockhampton Cup on Saturday week if his old warrior Grinzinger Knight finds his best form at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.

The seven-year-old Grinzinger Knight will be ridden by apprentice Chelsea Baker in the Benchmark 78 Handicap.

Richardson and owner Frank Manwaring have a friendship going back half a century to the days they were both involved in the cattle industry.

“I’ve known Frank for well over 50 years and trained for him for many years,” Richardson said.

“Frank is in his 80s now and is a retired grazier from Aramac in Central Queensland, but he’s lived at Toowoomba for several years.

“I got to know him when I worked on cattle properties when I was up north for 12 years.

“I worked on cattle properties for years and I’ve always had a horse to train before I moved to Toowoomba.”

Grinzinger Knight is coming off a last-start second to the Tony and Maddysen Sears-trained October in a 1600 metre Benchmark race at Eagle Farm on May 6.

Richardson’s biggest concern for the seven-year-old is the lack of recent racing and the prospect of further rain.

“He doesn’t like it too wet, but Eagle Farm is in the slow range at the moment, so he should be okay,” Richardson said.

“The biggest worry is he hasn’t raced for so long, but he had a trial recently at Toowoomba when he ran third.

“It was a wet track the day of the trial, so you can guarantee he didn’t put everything into it.”

Richardson changed his training routine with Grinzinger Knight more than a year ago, a move Richardson believes has helped prolong the gelding's career.

“I used to give him 600 and 800 metre gallops during the week, but now I just give him pace work and short sprints,” Richardson said.

The 74-year-old Richardson has nine horses in work at Toowoomba and trains alongside his son, Cameron, who also has around 10 horses in work.

Despite the father and son relationship, Richardson has no plans of forming a training partnership.

“I’m 74 now and I can’t see any benefit in a training partnership at this stage of my life,” he said.

“Another two or three years will probably see me out.”

Despite Richardson training for many years for Manwaring, the pair haven’t shared in many big successes.

“I think the biggest race we’ve won together was with Russian Sub at Doomben more than a year ago,” he said.

“Frank would love to have a Rockhampton Cup runner, so we’ll nominate for it if he runs well at Eagle Farm."