Canterbury preview: Trainer Sara Ryan revises tactics to orchestrate a win with Chief Conductor

Chief Conductor was a noted on-pace runner but the way he stormed home first-up has trainer Sara Ryan confident a change in tactics will better suit the gelding.

Trainer Sara Ryan (pictured with Big Dance winner Attractable) is quietly confident about the chances of Chief Conductor at Canterbury on Wednesday.

A SLOW start arguably cost Chief Conductor a win when resuming at Randwick last month but the way he powered to the line convinced trainer Sara Ryan that riding him with a sit is the way to go now.

The son of I Am Invincible only came out a half-length behind his rivals but it was enough to see him settle last in the field of 14 in the Benchmark 78 over 1000m.

Still spotting the field over a length at 150m mark, Chief Conductor stormed home to finish fifth, two and a half lengths off the winner Fleetwood.

“He’s has been missing the kick lately which has been his downfall,” said Ryan.

“Last start, he missed it but came home enormous and convinced me we need to ride him with more of a sit.

A running double for @KPMcEvoy onboard FLEETWOOD 🙌@godolphinpic.twitter.com/uXi8JBfv4f

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) June 8, 2024

“The 1000 metres was too short for him; it has never really been his go, but I needed somewhere to kick him off.

“Just being a half-length slow away put him in at the rear of the field.

“It has set him up nicely for this race though.”

The five-year-old contests the TAB Handicap, a Benchmark 72 over 1100m which is his favourite trip with Tim Clark to ride.

Clark is no stranger to the gelding having ridden him to his maiden win at Wyong at just his second race start and finishing third on him at Canterbury.

“If Tim can’t get him out, no one can. He is the master,” she said.

“I’m not worried about the weight (60.5kg). He is a strong, stocky horse.

“I see a bit of pressure from out wide so I hope they zip out fast and he can just get a nice sit just off the speed from a good gate.”

Ryan has made a gear change to Much Much Better who will contest the Benchmark 88 at Randwick on Saturday.

The six-year-old has been off his game in recent runs but Ryan has applied the blinkers to the gelding in a bid to sharpen him up and get him back on track.

The appeared to do the trick perfectly when he raced away to a three length win in his Beaumont trial on June 28.

Congratulations to Anna Roper for scoring her first Saturday city winner aboard the TOUGH Much Much Better! 👏💪 pic.twitter.com/c3xj7Zo172

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 21, 2023

“He will go to Randwick on Saturday and looks a nice, sneaky Benchmark 88 for him,” said Ryan.

“Aside from Elson Boy, it looks a nice race for him with not a lot of pressure for him.

“He had the blinkers on in his heat and it was as good as he has ever trialled.

“I’m hoping they bring him back to his best race form.”

Ryan reported that Big Dance winner Attractable isn’t far away from returning to training while exciting prospect, Matcha Latte is back in work after being off the scene for over 12 months after an injury.

“Attractable is in pre-training and going through his dressage exercises at the moment,” she said.

“He will return to the barn in the next couple of weeks.

“We may head back to Coffs Harbour for the Cup again which he won last year and possible another shot at the Big Dance.

“My main goal with him though is The Ingham again after he was just beaten in it last year.

“I have been taking Matcha Latte along slowly after he suffered a tendon injury after winning a Randwick trial in May last year and he is probably two to three weeks off a trial.

“I’m not getting too excited with him just yet but he is doing everything right.”

PRICE AND KENT JNR TO CREATING AN IMPRESSION IN SYDNEY

As Victorian co-trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr wait patiently for a permanent barn to become available at Rosehill, they continue to churn out consistent results.

Last Saturday’s Listed McKell Cup winner Golden Path was their fifth winner from just 31 starters in the four months they have been in Sydney and they have a further seven placings.

Another of their winners is The Creator who left Victorian with a win at Warrnambool and was good in winning at Canterbury last start

He returns to the venue in the All Too Hard @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1550m) with talented apprentice Molly Bourke to ride.

“I think he is a good chance again. Molly is riding very well so I think claiming with her is a good idea,” said Mick Price.

It's an easy win for The Creator in the last at Canterbury! @aus_turf_club@[e-mail]/ejzv9jtBOS

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 19, 2024

“I will speak to her after scratchings because I think it important that this horse is left alone and he will go well. If he is involved in any speed battle, that will put it on for something sitting handy.

“He has drawn a good gate and I think he is weighted okay.”

The Canterbury track was rated a Heavy 9 on Tuesday afternoon and while The Creator is untried on heavy ground, he has a near perfect record on the soft with four wins and second from five starts.

“I don’t know if he is a bog track horse but he is certainly in Sydney for the softer tracks,” Price said.

“I think it is the right race for him, he is hard fit and he’s got a nice bit of edge on him.

“The one to beat would be She’s Unusual but he is there to run well and win again if the race works out for him.”

Price and Kent Jnr are hopeful they will officially have a permanent presence in Sydney with their own boxes in the near future.

“We’re waiting for a barn to become available at Rosehill,” he said.

“We’re just sharing boxes at the moment and just waiting for the green light where I can become a registered New South Wales trainer and employ New South Wales staff and enjoy Sydney racing which we do.

“If a barn or half a barn did become available, I would certainly take it because I think Sydney racing has got very good benchmark racing, softer tracks and I love training horses at Rosehill.

“If you take the right horse there, you will get the results.”

Originally published as Canterbury preview: Trainer Sara Ryan revises tactics to orchestrate a win with Chief Conductor