KEY POINTS:
It is just an off-the-radar $7500 midweek R70 staying race at Avondale today.
But Te Awamutu co-trainer Stephen Autridge may not get a sweeter victory all season.
Autridge didn't think he'd see Grabbit again when he packed him off to Hong Kong after a handful of trials at
two and an early outing at three.
But four starts into their reunion, both are making up for lost time.
"He always tries 115 per cent, I think he's appreciating that he got out of the place [Hong Kong]," said Autridge.
"He'd have to be the nicest horse I've got in work. He's a real gentle giant and always tries his heart out."
All Autridge needs now to cap the homecoming celebration is a jockey to ride to instructions aboard the Dr Tsoi-owned 5-year-old.
Autridge said Opie Bosson got off the Woodman gelding last time out - at Avondale on Anzac Day - and confessed to making his move too late.
Grabbit was beaten just a half head and half a length when third in a similar field.
Top apprentice James McDonald takes over the reins today from an injured Bosson and claims a crucial kilogram down to a dangerous 56.5kg.
"Opie rode him too good last time," said Autridge. "I told him what he was meant to do and he got off and said, 'I should have listened to you'.
"I said try and be in front at the top of the straight; where he is there is where he'll finish.
"Opie had a chance to get there at the 600m but he didn't want to go three wide, but it doesn't matter if you go four-wide on this horse, you've just got to be there."
Grabbit only won once in Hong Kong - over 2200m on a fast Sha Tin in March last year - but was invariably thereabouts.
"He's really an out-and-out stayer and they didn't have the races up there so they wanted him out of there," said Autridge.
One of his more seasoned rivals will be the Steve McKee-trained Ventoso, a previous Avondale winner, who had little chance on this track at his last start when he engaged the leader in a cut-throat battle and dropped out in the run home.
Improving 3-year-old Zlato, beaten but not disgraced in stronger company at Te Rapa last month, is another to consider in the third leg of a challenging Pick6.
Grabbit's stablemates Stalingrad (race six), Final Frontier (race seven) and Abbey Tralae (race eight) add to the Autridge and Keith and Brendon Hawtin barn's Pick6 presence.
Balloted filly Abbey Tralae looks especially dangerous, if she re-enters the R70 1200m event.
She quit maidens here last October, on what should be a similar rain-affected surface, and wasn't far off the placegetters in an Avondale stakes race at two.
"Opie thought she'd win last time but she didn't quite finish it off," said Autridge.
"There were signs of her tying up, but we've done our best to fix that with swimming."
Final Frontier represents even more value fresh-up in the fifth leg.
"He's had no trial or fast work but doesn't need it," said Autridge. "He's one to follow through the winter."
Smart sprinter Nosmo King and smart filly Mirandola are also resuming in this event.
