Rosehill trainers in two-pronged Festival Stakes assault
Gerald Ryan is hoping to use Sydney’s compressed summer carnival timetable to his advantage when he runs Williamsburg and Grebeni in the Festival Stakes at Rosehill.
A traditional lead-up to the $2 million The Ingham (1600m), the Festival Stakes (1400m) is usually held two weeks prior but will fall just seven days out this year.
Ryan is banking on that making it a less attractive option for many trainers and he is out to capitalise with two runners.
“That’s what I’m thinking, I don’t think it’s going to be as strong a race,” Ryan said.
“They’re usually two weeks apart but both horses would have missed out on a run in The Gong (on Saturday), that’s why I didn’t even bother entering Grebeni because I knew what was going there and that he wouldn’t get a run.
“Williamsburg will be ridden by Tyler Schiller and Grebeni will be Kerrin Mcevoy.”
Twice Group 1 placed, Williamsburg hasn’t been beaten far in any of his five runs this campaign, his worst result coming last start in the Damien Oliver at Flemington.
The four-year-old was jagged back from a wide gate and didn’t get much room in the early part of the straight, finishing 3-3/4 lengths from the winner Cause For Concern.
Ryan is adamant the horse is in good order and can atone without surprising, particularly if the track is rain-affected.
“He went to Melbourne and ran in the 1400 metre race on Derby Day. He drew wide, got pushed into the fence and basically never got off the fence again,” Ryan said.
“He is going terrific. He’s working well, he looks good, he is just not having any joy in his races.”
Grebeni will be third-up after making a sound return in the Silver Eagle (1300m) before taking out the Goulburn Cup (1400m) last start.
He also enjoys wet tracks and should get in well at the weights.
“He’s only had the two runs back and his run in the Silver Eagle was very passable, he ran tenth and it was a good run, then he won the Goulburn Cup,” Ryan said.
“It’s a test but he’ll have no weight on his back and he can run off really good sectionals.”
Both Williamsburg and Grebeni are in line to back up in The Ingham seven days later if they perform at Rosehill.
More Racing News
Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa share up for grabs
A share in last month’s Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa is being offered on Inglis Digital. The five percent share is one of the headline lots that form a Halo Racing unreserved reduction, offered on behalf of the late Colin McKenna, who died last month. Also up for grabs is five percent...
Despite rating, 2024 WA Guineas hope high for Andrews
As a three-time champion of the WA Guineas (1600m), top line trainer Trevor Andrews has a good handle on what it takes to win the Group 2 feature. Trevor Andrews will have two bites of the cherry at winning his fourth WA Guineas on Saturday and despite what the market says he...
Sydney form to pay off for trainer Chris Waller
To run or not to run is a question hanging over many stables as a heavy track presents itself at Doomben. The two listed race features – the Recognition Stakes and the Tattersall’s Classic – could yet be impacted by scratchings but it is in another race on the card where...
Cranbourne Cup 2024 wait and see for Maher quartet
The Ciaron Maher stable is still deciding which of their quartet of acceptances it will take up the challenge with in the Listed Cranbourne Cup. Three of the runners in Saturday’s 1600m contest are also among acceptances for the Listed Kilmore Cup (1600m) on Sunday. Nugget, Cosmic Vega and Flash Flood have accepted for Kilmore...
Air of confidence surrounds Maher’s The Gong squad
Big Dance winner Gringotts is the clear top pick of Ciaron Maher’s squad for the $1 million The Gong, but the leading trainer won’t be surprised to see the horse’s biggest threat comes from of a stablemate. Gringotts had three-quarters of a length to spare over barn mate Vivy Air in the Big...
Rey shooting for stars in The Meteorite
From the time two slot races were announced by Southside Racing, the Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock stable knew they wanted to be a part of it. Griffiths was born and bred in the Cranbourne area and was one of the first to establish a barn at the Cranbourne Training...
Dan Morton keeps faith with 2024 Railway Stakes mare
Trainer Dan Morton has shrugged aside Super Smink’s horror barrier draw and still thinks she can win the Group 1 Swan Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday. A layer of complexity was added to Super Smink’s Railway Stakes bid after she was handed barrier 18, but Dan Morton is keeping the...
Timing right for Port Lockroy in G1 Railway Stakes bid
He’s one of five interstate raiders and the outsider of the quintet, but co-trainer, Rob Archibald believes there is a sense of timing about Port Lockroy in Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot. Rob Archibald, who shares training duties with Annabel Neasham, says Port Lockroy put himself into Railway Stakes...
Royal task for Gilded Water at local debut
A benchmark race on The Gong undercard will add some Royal flavour to the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting when a horse owned by His Majesty King Charles III makes his local debut. Four-year-old Gilded Water has been sent to Australia to continue his racing career, having started just four times in the...
Improving trio to fly flag for Godolphin at Kembla Grange
Godolphin doesn’t have a representative in The Gong, but James Cummings is content to rely on a trio of up-and-coming sprinters to carry the stable’s hopes at the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting. Fleetwood will headline the leading yard’s squad when he resumes in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m), while Pisanello and Restonica contest benchmark...
