Change in tactics turns the tables for Gerald Ryan’s Samantha

Gerald Ryan
                                                  Gerald Ryan has both eyes on the prize this Saturday at Randwick.

TRAINER Gerald Ryan is hoping a move to ride his filly Samantha off the speed will hold the galloper in good stead for Saturday’s Group Three PJ Bell Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Since a poor showing in February’s Group Two Light Finger Stakes Ryan said electing to take the three-year-old back as opposed to pushing towards the head of affairs has been the catalyst for a great run of subsequent form.

Samantha has yet to finish outside the top-two since the change of tactics and goes into the first race on day one of The Championships as the +600 second favourite in Crownbet.com.au’s all-in market.

The trainer believes the stable learned its lesson from the filly’s second half of the field finish in the group two race.

“There was plenty to take from it. We were riding her wrong,” Ryan told HorseBetting.com.au.

“After the Light Fingers we changed tactics. We started riding her back. We were riding her for speed prior to that.”

Ryan said the stable is responsible for the poor showing, as the jockey was only following the orders given to him by the team.

“After the Light Fingers I reckon we were riding her wrong, it wasn’t (jockey James Innes Jnr’s) fault, he only rode her the way we asked him to ride it.

“I just reckon we were riding her wrong, so we started riding her quiet and her last two runs have been really good ridden that way.”

The response to the tactics change for Samantha has been enormous, and Ryan believes his galloper comes into Saturday well-placed to break through for its first group win.

“The form this preparation has been really good,” the trainer said.

“She won her first two starts then she ran unplaced in the Light Fingers, she’s bounced back and took out the Fireball then ran really well against the older mares two weeks ago.”

Since a three week freshen up at the beginning of 2017, the stable has elected to have a fortnight break between runs for the three-year-old.

When asked if the two week let up from its second placed finish on March 18 was a pre-conceived strategy for Samantha, Ryan said no special consideration was given for Saturday’s group three race.

“She’s gone two weeks between her last two starts, so it’s not as if she’s going a long time between runs.”

The trainer believes the heavy tracks that have negatively impacted a lot of horses in Sydney have played into the stable’s favour heading into day one of the Championships.

“The way the tracks have been up here if you are racing them every fortnight you don’t have to hammer them on the track to keep them fit because she’s had those runs on heavy 10s her last two starts.”

Another heavy track is predicted for Saturday’s race card, but Ryan has no doubt Samantha will put in another strong performance.

“Providing it’s not starting to take its toll on her (she will go well).

“All her form is on heavy tracks, her start in the Light Fingers was her only run on a dry track.”

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