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By John Curtis (provincialracingnsw.com.au)

When Oryx ($4 into $3.70 favourite on TAB) goes back to Gosford to race on Thursday, he’ll have a cheer squad like no other.

The former Godolphin gelding will attempt to make it two wins on the bounce when he lines up in the Logic Joinery Benchmark 68 Handicap (1100m).

Oryx is raced by a large syndicate headed by Gosford Race Club vice-chairman Michael Griffiths, and includes members of his family, fellow Directors Mark Holton and Peter Kernan, along with a number of staff members, Gosford trainer Jake Hull and his major owner John O’Connor.

The group of owners after Oryx had scored at Gosford. Image by Bradley Photographers

Griffiths’ wife Michelle, son Jack and mother-in-law Betty Ferlazzo are in the group, as are The Entertainment Grounds (on Gosford Racecourse) operations manager Lachie Boas-Bartlett, chef Gary Burns and the club’s plumber Gavin Singh.

“Other members of our syndicate are Carol D’Silva (her husband Mike was formerly on the Gosford Board), Phil Bishop (boss of Equicom Syndications), Justin Sargent, Kirk Folkard, Maryanne Dwyer (wife of bookmaker David Dwyer) and Natalie and Jess King,” Griffiths said.

“Natalie and Jess were both at the club when the syndicate was put together.”

Now seven-year-old Oryx was a $75,000 online purchase in 2023 after having seven starts for Godolphin.

He began his career in Victoria in 2021, won two races at Hawkesbury (1100m Maiden Plate in May 2022 and 1000m Benchmark 64 Handicap in December that year), and was offered for sale after finishing a close second at Gosford in January 2023.

“We started off really well when Oryx was placed at double-figure odds at Canterbury in June 2023,” Griffiths said.

“Oryx’s current trainer Richard Litt won the race with Huon, which he had bought through the same sale as our horse.

“However, Oryx developed a bad habit of getting his legs over the back of the barrier stalls and dragging them.

“He had two more starts for Jake (Hull), and when it was evident he wasn’t enjoying his workplace, we decided to transfer him to Richard Litt at Warwick Farm.

“Oryx was suspended by Racing NSW Stewards three times for his barrier manners, and there is a video circulating when we cheered loudly just because he jumped out of the stalls in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm.

“Richard has done a lot of work with the horse and, after four placings (one at Canterbury in April this year), it was such a thrill to see him win first-up at the last Gosford meeting on November 22.

“Oryx overcame an outside draw that day to score over 1000m in a Benchmark 64 Handicap, and Mitchell Bell rode him and was keen to stick with him this week.

“He has the same weight (59kg), has drawn the rails this time and of course we’re all hoping he can win again.”

*HOOFNOTE: Oryx is particularly well named. A son of Exceed and Excel, his dam Shaumari (by Medaglia D’Oro from Preserve) was a Godolphin mare who raced only six times and scored on debut at Warwick Farm in April 2014.

She was subsequently Group 3 placed at Royal Randwick and Group 2 placed at Doomben. Oryx is her third foal, and she was retired from breeding earlier this year.

The Shaumari Wildlife Reserve is a 22 sq km sanctuary for endangered species in Jordan, including the Arabian Oryx.

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