Goulburn preview: D-day comes early for Kiwi import City Gold Ready

Gerald Ryan is demanding more from a Kiwi import who could be on his last chance with his owners at Goulburn on Tuesday.

City Gold Ready has to show positive signs, says trainer Gerald Ryan. Picture: Bradley Photos

AJC Derby-winning trainer Gerald Ryan is reserving his judgement until after NZ Derby participant City Gold Ready crosses the line in Tuesday’s Country Outfitters Class 1 & Maiden Plate (2125m) at Goulburn.

It will be 220 days since the son of Perfectly Ready lined up against star NZ filly Orchestral in the Blue Riband classic at Ellerslie.

Prior to that, the pair clashed, albeit a one-sided one, in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas.

“The funny thing about it is they say ‘oh he’s run in those good races in New Zealand’ but he’s getting beaten 14 and 17 lengths, he wasn’t getting beat four lengths,’’ Ryan said.

“He is a deadset big one-pacer so I have put the blinkers back on him on Tuesday hoping they can do something.

“He has to do something. The people who own him have about a half-dozen young horses coming through so it he can’t measure up in a Class 1 and Maiden Plate at Goulburn, they don’t need him.’’

City Gold Ready would probably get 2400m in the right company, despite being by a Goodwood Handicap winner out of a mare by the 1992 Pago Pago Stakes winner, Yachtie.

That mare is Five Sails who won four of her 10 starts in New Zealand from 1580m all the way up a mile and a half.

Ryan, and his co-trainer Sterling Alexiou, will take two of their Rosehill string into the Semco Equipment Sales Maiden Plate (1000m), Queen Calanthe ($14) and superbly-bred debutant Pretty Cheeky ($7.50).

Pretty Cheeky is a daughter of Australia’s 2020-21 Champion General Sire Written Tycoon out of the Foxwedge mare, Wedgie.

Wedgie won two of her five starts, both of the provincials, but was talented enough to finish third to Luvaluva in the 2018 Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m).

Pretty Cheeky has trialled four times dating back to April 23.

Her first trials saw her come up against last Saturday’s Flight Stakes winner, Last Shenandoah.

Her last two were a second to subsequent debut winner Iowna Benz and an impressive win ahead of the handy Team Hawkes resident Gattodance.

“She’s a fast filly,’’ Ryan said.

“I don’t mind where she has drawn (10) because she will put herself right on the speed.

“She’s been in a couple of times and scratched so we’ve just got to get to the races.

“I would like to see her under race conditions. She’s fast, it’s just whether she’s strong enough to carry it through to stronger grade, we will find out as well go along.’’

Queen Calanthe, meanwhile, has drawn favourably in barrier two to post her first career win, hot on the heels of his close second at Nowra.

“She is a big strong filly,’’ Ryan said.

“She went well in a Benchmark 58 at her last start, she just found one better on the day.

“She has drawn better on Tuesday and she ought to be on the speed, just behind them, and she’ll be strong late.

‘I just hope that the 1000m is not too short for her but she is training well and can run well in that race.’’

Queen Calanthe is a blue blood who should feel right at home at Ryan/Alexiou’s Unwin St HQ given it was the same address as her multiple Group 1-winning father, Trapeze Artist.

One top of that, Queen Calanthe is a half-sister to Hooked, who won a Tramway and MVRC Crystal Mile as well a gallant third in the AJC Derby behind Criterion.

“She’s got a pedigree page,’’ Ryan said.

“This time of year she might win a race and they (the owners) might even think about retiring her.’’

Kempsey preview: Flyball edges closer to his second win

Flyball, one of the two horses involved in dramatic 2023 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes that saw champion jockeys Jamie Kah and Crag Williams badly injured, can add a second win to his CV when he steps out at `Kempsey on Tuesday.

The Rosemont Stud-bred son of Starspangledbanner had his first six starts in Victoria for original trainer Henry Dwyer, winning one at Nhill, shortly before being offered at the Inglis Online Sale in January this year.

Purchased for $8500, the now Stephen Farley-trained Port Macquarie resident has never been closer to a second career win judging by his last-start second to the well-credentialed Agirlsbestfriend at his home track nine days ago.

“It was out of his grade but I thought the bigger track at Port would suit him, that’s why I ran him,’’ the dual Group 1-winning trainer Farley said.

“Kempsey and Taree don’t suit him, the way he races, but he is going well and he’s got to have a run before the end of the month.’’

Reason is, Farley explained, was a scheduled return to Port Macquarie where he will be in action on the same card as his Kempsey-bound stablemate Thirteenth Man.

The son of Tavistock posted his first win when he dead-heated a Taree 1614m Maiden with Mighty Zou on September 24.

His mission on Tuesday is the eminently suitable Crystalite Class 1 & Maiden Plate (1900m).

“I probably would have liked it to be a little bit drier,’’ Farley said.

“The first time he got on a dry track was at Taree the other day when he won.

“A couple of times when Grant Buckley rode him earlier on, on the wet tracks, he ran second and third on him, but Bucko said he didn’t think he was handling them properly.

“He was getting through it but not a hundred per cent happy on them.

“But it’s not a deal-breaker.’’

Thirteenth Man could probably lay claim to being the best bred racehorse at Kempsey on Tuesday.

Not only is he is a son of one of the most emphatic VRC Derby winners on record, his third dam is the immortal Horlicks who won four Group 1s including the 1989 Japan Cup.

Unlike some champion race mares, Horlicks went on to have a very successful career as a broodmare.

Among her progeny were Avondale Guineas winner Bubble as well the 2000 Melbourne Cup winner Brew.

Originally published as Goulburn preview: D-day comes early for Kiwi import City Gold Ready