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The business brain of Robbie Griffiths has ruled over his heart with debut winner Daily Bugle who will head to a two-year-old race at Sandown instead of contesting the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
With VOBIS and Super VOBIS bonus money on offer, Daily Bugle will be racing for a winner's cheque of almost $60,000 when he runs in the IVE>Print Handicap ((1400m) at Sandown on Wednesday.
While the first prize of $900,000 in the Blue Diamond was tempting, as would the second and third prize money of $270,000 and $135,000 respectively, Griffiths also noted the prize money from fifth to eighth fell away to $30,000.
Griffiths also weighed-up the prospects of Daily Bugle having a 'gut-buster' in Victoria's premier two-year-old race.
In the end, following consultation with co-trainer Mathew De Kock, the pair decided on the conservative approach which with a view to contesting the Group 2 VRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on March 6.
"Matt and I thought this would be a nice preparing race for the Sires' Produce rather than going down the pathway of chasing the good ones in the Blue Diamond," Griffiths said.
"He's got a really nice pedigree to stretch him out to seven furlongs and beyond. This will be a good opportunity for him to go down that road.
"He might have a softer run on Wednesday, earn more money, give his confidence a boost and hopefully prepare him better going into the Sires' with hopefully another win.
"Based on the strength of his win at Pakenham and the way he's trained on and the way he's bred, it looks as though its highly achievable."
Daily Bugle scored by a length at his only start at Pakenham over 1200m on January 28 at $26.
Griffiths said he was surprised by the two-year-old's odds that night which was not a reflection of the stable's pre-race thoughts.
"He didn't get under our guard, I don't know why he was such big odds as our opinion of him was very high," Griffiths said.
"There's not a lot of people in the ownership and a few of them backed him, and he's paid for their next two horses."
Further down the track Griffiths hopes Daily Bugle can follow what Glenfiddich did as a two-year-old.
Under Griffiths' care, Glenfiddich headed to Sydney where he finished sixth on an unsuitable heavy track in the Group 1 AJC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick last April before finishing second to King's Legacy in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick later that month.
Glenfiddich was then transferred to Peter Moody for his three-year-old campaign and is currently sidelined with a leg injury.
Daily Bugle is currently the $2.90 favourite with TAB to remain unbeaten on Wednesday.
