Craig Kerry
After a long-term plan delivered their greatest victory on Saturday, trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou hope a short-term program can produce another rich win at Randwick when former Hong Kong prospect Matias competes in the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) on Tuesday.
The Rosehill stable claimed the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) on Saturday when Skyhook nosed out Decorum in the feature for four-year-olds, capping a four-run campaign which also included wins in the group 2 Theo Marks and Shannon Stakes.
The son of Written Tycoon, now destined for a career at stud with a group 1 on his resume, will go for a spell and likely return in the Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick in February.
โHe was only ever going to have four runs, and it was a tough run,โ Ryan said.
โHeโs had a great campaign and since Christmas Eve last year, heโs had only a spell of 18 days, and that was after Queensland.
โHeโs won group races as a two, three and four-year-old, so heโs done well. His first start was in the Pierro Plate, and every run since has been in black-type races. He and Beiwacht are only colts to run in the Golden Slipper, Golden Rose and Golden Eagle. And weโve raced Beiwacht five times, and the Golden Rose is the only time heโs beaten us.โ
The Golden Eagle triumph was a second group 1 success for the training partnership and the richest on a long list of elite victories across Ryanโs 35-year career.
They can add a Big Dance to their achievements when Matias jumps from gate one with 53 kilograms and Reece Jones aboard on Tuesday. A $14 TAB chance, the four-year-old Snitzel gelding earned a spot in the race with second in the wildcard race on October 17 at Randwick. That came after the group 3 winner at 1800m and 2000m returned with fourth in the Cameron Handicap (1500m) at Newcastle.
โFirst up, he probably lacked a bit of fitness,โ Ryan said.
โThen the other day, he was perhaps looking for a tad further, but I do know since he raced then his coat has come right through. I reckon fitness-wise heโs improved; itโs just whether they are going to be sharp for him over 1600m or not.โ
Matias was on his way to Hong Kong following his Frank Packer Plate win in April before failing a vet check. Races like the Sydney Gold Cup (2000m) last Saturday loomed as targets in this preparation before he was set on the Big Dance path.
โIt probably wasnโt until three weeks before Newcastle,โ Ryan said of the Big Dance plan.
โWe were looking at where we were going to start him, and we thought, I wonder if we could get him into the Big Dance qualifier? You had to run in a qualifying race to run in the wildcard, so went that way.
โThere looks to be great speed in the race; it will be a good-run race. Iโve got about six horses going forward.
โI donโt think he will be able to take advantage of gate one, I reckon he will be about halfway back or worse.โ
Ciaron Maher-trained Gringotts was a $3.50 favourite to win a third consecutive Big Dance.
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