Ellerton double-handed at Flemington

By Mark Ryan

MELBOURNE, Dec 8 AAP - Mr Griswold is back from a foot injury which cost him racing over the spring carnival and will resume at Flemington on Saturday.

Trainer Mat Ellerton said the Good Journey five-year-old suffered the injury when he struck himself, setting him back by over two months.

Mr Griswold will wear a three-quarter plate on his near-fore hoof in the Dorevitch Pathology Hcp (1200m).

"He's had an interrupted preparation. He hurt a foot pretty badly," Ellerton said of the gelding.

"He was ready to run on Thousand Guineas day but he's been treading water since.

"It was a real shame for the owners as he was going to run in Cup week as well. It was disappointing for everyone.

"Basically we've just been waiting for nature to take its course.

"He's spent a lot of time on the walker."

Mr Griswold had been racing in career-best form during the winter, winning three Saturday metropolitan races from his last five starts.

After finishing runner-up to Jungle Ruler in a 1400m heat of the Winter Championship Series, Mr Griswold won the Provincial Plate (1620m) before running sixth to Glaneuse in the Winter Championship Final (1600m), all at Flemington.

He then won over 1400m at Caulfield before beating Pinnacles over 1410m back on his home track at Flemington.

Ellerton and co-trainer Simon Zahra gave him a break after he ran eighth to Pinnacles over 1400m at Caulfield on August 27.

Stable apprentice Damian Lane, who has ridden Mr Griswold at his past three starts for two wins, takes the mount again and his 1.5kg allowance brings the equal topweight in with 57.5kg.

"He runs well fresh. He just got beaten one day when second over 1100 metres at Caulfield when first-up," Ellerton said.

"We'd be happy with his chances on Saturday if there is a bit of rain around."

The Flemington track on Thursday was rated dead (4) with the forecast for a few showers on Saturday.

The Ellerton-Zahra stable will also saddle up That's Not It, to be ridden by Chris Symons, in the sprint.

The Foreplay gelding hasn't won since his victory in the Group Three Red Anchor Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day in 2010 but has been runner-up twice at Flemington including to Panipique in the Listed MSS Security Stakes (1100m) in March.

Now a four-year-old, That's Not It has had three runs this campaign and second-up ran second to Total Liberty over 1100m at Bendigo before failing on a heavy track when seventh to Freereturn over 1300m at Sandown last Saturday week.

"He's looking for a dry track and probably the straight," Ellerton said.

"We probably shouldn't have run him on the wet track at Sandown but he just needed to have a run.

"He's going better than his form reads.

"Of the two of them I'd probably lean to That's Not It if the rain doesn't come.

"If the rain comes I'd be leaning to Mr Griswold."

Mr Griswold is $4.40 favourite with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Cascabel at $6.50, Belgietto ($7), Hollowlea ($9) with Huxssen at $10.

That's Not It has firmed from $18 to $13.