Craig Grylls became the first jockey in 27 years to ride the Thorndon Mile-Wellington Cup double at Trentham on Saturday.
Grylls guided $48 longshot A Touch Of Ruby home to win the Group One Thorndon (1600m), and later took out the Group Two Wellington Cup (2400m) aboard Graphic, who is from the stable of trans-Tasman trainer Mike Moroney.
It was the first time the feature race double has been ridden since 1987 when Paul Taylor scored on Jonny Alone and Rastes.
The Steve Autridge-trained A Touch Of Ruby came into the race after winning a rating 85 at Pukekohe last week but handled the rise in class with ease on the minimum weight of 52kg.
Grylls produced the Pins mare late down the middle of the track and she was too strong for first-day Trentham winner Costume by a length.
The well-fancied Sacred Star was third, well clear of favourite Zurella, who did herself no favours by missing the start.
Two races later, Grylls repeated the dose with another horse facing a rise in class, though Graphic was a well-fancied $9.60 chance with four wins in his last five starts.
Grylls settled Graphic in the front half of the field and the Volksraad gelding was too strong after getting to the front early in the straight, holding Skysoblue comfortably by a length, with favourite Guns At Five a neck further back.
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