Gerald Ryan hatches plan to beat Buffering on home soil despite Snitzerland underperforming
GERALD Ryan believes he’s found a chink in Buffering’s armour as he bids to extend his dream run start to the winter carnival in the BTC Cup.
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GERALD Ryan believes he’s found a chink in Buffering’s armour as the red-hot trainer bids to extend his dream start to the winter carnival in the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Fresh off a stakes double with Dothraki and Dances On Stars on the Gold Coast at the weekend, Ryan will have Snitzerland and Hot Snitzel engaged in the BTC Cup and Time For War in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes (1200m).
Ryan admits Snitzerland is racing a level below when she claimed her first Group 1 in the Lightning Stakes in February but the Sydney trainer has hatched a plan to help her knock off Queensland’s favourite sprinter, Buffering, this Saturday.
Ryan feels catching BTC Cup favourite Buffering napping is the only way to bring down Australia’s toughest sprinter.
“If Buffering wants to lead he can lead, and the only thing I wouldn’t like is to be taking Buffering on 400m from home because he will beat you in a dogfight,” Ryan said.
“But I reckon he is a horse you have to sit right on his hammer and have one quick dash at.”
Snitzerland finished a close third when starting a short-price favourite in the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on April 26 but Ryan was forgiving of the performance.
“I reckon a lot of people underrated the form of those other horses leading into it,” he said.
“When you have them geared up to go like she did first-up (in the Lightning Stakes) in February, it’s hard to keep them at that level.
“Sure, she is probably a bit below that at the moment but not that far below that she will be disgraceful.”
Snitzerland is doubtful to run if the predicted showers in Brisbane later in the week eventuate but Ryan feels he could still play a hand if the track is wet with last start Group 3 winner Hot Snitzel.
“Hot Snitzel is flying and he has been racing the best he has his whole career this preparation,” he said.
“But I think he can only win the BTC Cup if it’s damp, and if it’s dry we’ve got Snitzerland.”
Ryan is also bullish on the prospects of juvenile Time For War, who won the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill in March before finishing fourth in the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 12.
Time For War’s rivals this Saturday will include Victorian filly Eloping, who won the Group 3 Royal Randwick Stakes (1200m) on April 19.
DARLEY sprinter Knoydart won’t run in the BTC Cup and will start next in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) on May 24.
BTC Cup likely field
Buffering ($2.90)
Sidestep ($3.60)
Snitzerland ($8)
Spirit Of Boom ($8)
Hot Snitzel ($10)
Temple Of Boom ($11)
Tiger Tees ($15)
Famous Seamus ($23)
Peron ($23)
Startsmeup ($81)
Odds: TAB
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