Kembla preview: Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou are poised to start the New Year with a winning double

Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou are out to keep their winning momentum going and start 2025 on a winning note with a couple of winners at Kembla.

Trainers Gerald Ryan (right) and Sterling Alexiou can hit the ground running in 2025 with a Kembla double. Picture: Getty Images

Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou ended 2024 with a pair of winners in the last few days and can kick off the New Year in the same fashion.

The Rosehill-based conditioners signed off the year with High Blue Sea closing late to score by a half-length at Randwick last Saturday before Fly Scotty Fly led all-the-way for a stylish at Wyong on New Year’s Eve.

Ryan and Alexiou can start their weekend with an early double at Kembla with Wandaye and She Conquers while Golden Loom can run a cheeky race at odds.

Wandaye resumed with a handy third behind She Conquers after coming from the second half of the field when resuming at Hawkesbury on December 15.

A HUGE performance! 🔥

She Conquers sails down the outside to win Race 1 at Hawkesbury. @[e-mail]/ONCb1J0gcQ

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 15, 2024

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The daughter of Wandjina and looks a good chance from a nice draw in the Kembla Grange Classic March 14th Midway Maiden Plate (1000m).

“She got back a little bit and they ran a bit quick for her but she got to the line well,” said Ryan.

“I was very happy with her run. I thought she went terrific and she has taken a lot of benefit from the experience.

“She was going well leading into the race and had trialled nicely behind Puntin at Canterbury.

“I said to her owners that morning that I didn’t think she would beat the first two but that she would run in the top four.”

Ryan was confident She Conquers would take beating at Hawkesbury despite a wide barrier and she didn’t disappoint in scoring by over half a length from Roman Script.

The daughter of Unite And Conquer showed good ability on debut back in June when third behind Island Dec at Kembla.

“She ran a nice race at her first start at Kembla then failed on a heavy track at Canterbury so we put her out for a spell,” he said.

“She had trialled very well in both heats this time in and I was confident she would be fighting out the finish.

“She was quite good in winning first-up.”

Jockey @keaganlatham takes Cook Island Girl back to the inside and she lets down powerfully late to win Race 7 at @newcastleraces_ for @MFreedmanRacing 👊 pic.twitter.com/r5G3IjM3JF

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 22, 2024

She Conquers is again one of the leading chances in the Join The 2025 The Warra Club Class 1 Handicap (1000m) despite drawing another wide gate in barrier 9.

“She is a big, strong, gross girl so she will take improvement from that run fitness-wise. I’m confident she will run well again,” Ryan said.

“She gets back anyway so the draw shouldn’t make a big difference to her.

“She drew the outside gate in a field of 11 the other day.

“Kembla has a nice, long straight and she has run well there before.”

Golden Loom may have finished last on debut in a Super Maiden at Newcastle but he was only two-and-three-quarter-lengths from the winner, Cook Island Girl, and Ryan feels there may have been an excuse that day.

“He is another one I don’t think handles wet tracks and he still wasn’t far behind them,” he said.

“He went for a spell after that run at Newcastle and was gelded as well.”

The son of Castelvecchio kicks off this campaign in the Carlton Dry 3.5 Maiden Handicap (1300m) where he has drawn nicely in gate 3.

“He is coming along well. His two trials have been okay and he has hit the line nicely in both of them hence staring him off over 1300 metres.

“On a big track, he will be able to balance up and get home.

“Hopefully he can take advantage of the good barrier and be no further back than midfield.

“He was keep improving with time as he gets over a longer journey too.”