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By Tony Megahey

After starting with the great Patrick Payne and then indentured to astute Mitchell Beer, opportunities are emerging rapidly for rookie apprentice Fiona Sandkuhl riding the form and weighted runner Claptone in Saturday’s TAB Yenda Group $17000 (1350m) Griffith Cup.

A mateship and working relationship between Albury’s Beer and Clapton’s Wangaratta trainer Craig Weeding offers Fiona, with just 21 rides and two winners, a compelling case for her first regional feature.

Fiona Sandkuhl after winning her first race on Snowbella at Goulburn. Image by Bradley Photographers

Fiona is from Victoria’s Gisborne in the Macedon Ranges.

“Because of the COVID travel restrictions I look after Craig’s horses when they come up here and he looks after mine when I race down there - we go back a way, I recommended Fiona when he wanted a ‘max’ claimer,” Mitch explained.

Clapton’s hefty 61kg has been reduced appealingly by Fiona’s 4.5kg claim: “Craig’s done a super job winning two races with the horse.”

The four-year-old gelding was previously with the Victorian Corsten’s stable, moved to Matt Dunn up north and finally back to Victoria with Weeding for a revival.

The horse had won just a modest maiden before Weeding won recent races at Albury and Narrandera.

“It’s probably the best credentialled off those wins and down in grade from Echuca,” Mitch added.

In a wide market, Claptone with the major weight relief, heads the betting ahead of Eurosay, Bravado Lass and Delivered.

“I’d held Fiona back from outside rides until she gets more experience on the horses she rides at home. She’s progressing nicely, rode a gem to win on Seventh Seal for me at Albury.

"She’s a listener and fast learner. First time at Griffith and she’s drawn wide but it’s a decent straight run from the ‘1300’ start into a tight turn.

“She’ll have a good look riding in the first and we’ll be hard to beat there on Meladia. It’s been in harder maidens at Wangaratta last prep - trialled nicely for this.

“It and Wise Dragon in the last are my best, it’s resuming and trialled and has been racing in a lot stronger events.”

Meanwhile, Michael Travers elected for a full book at Griffith instead of being a spectator at Kembla for his first Highway-trained runner in outsider Mathrin.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Griffith here