Ellsberg under rated in Doncaster Mile according to trainer
You can rest assured Ellsberg will not stop trying in the $3 million The Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick today.
That is the opinion of the four-year-old’s co-trainer Gerald Ryan heading into the Group 1 feature.
It appears Ryan is not far off the mark given how consistent the +1400 starter with horse racing sites has been.
Ellsberg has finished second, first, second and first in his past four starts.
Both those comfortable wins came in $161,000 Group 3 races – the Cellarbrations Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Randwick on February 26, and the Petaluma Festival Stakes (1500m) on November 27 last year.
“He’s had a good prep. He’s fit and well,” Ryan told horsebetting.com.au.
“His form’s been really consistent. He’s had 16 starts and only missed the first three twice.
“One was fourth in the Hawkesbury Guineas, and the other was seventh in the Golden Eagle.
“His past two runs he’s been tough and he kept going. But more importantly he’s come out of them very well afterwards.”
It will be a step up in company today.
Four-year-old Forbidden Love, for Richard and Michael Freedman with Jamie Kah aboard, is deserving of her $4 favouritism after saluting in the $1 million The Agency George Ryder Stakes (1500m) last start on March 19.
But Ellsberg finished ahead of that mare when he was seventh in the $7.5 million XXXX Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on October 30 last year, Forbidden Love 1.5 lengths behind him in 10th before turning around her form.
“He was good in that. He had more weight (57.5kg) then and tomorrow he’ll only have 52.5kg,” Ryan said.
Today’s jockey Tim Clark has an impressive record aboard Ellsberg, with three wins from eight starts, including the Liverpool City Cup in February.
“Tim’s ridden him and he knows him, and his racing patterns suit Tim,” Ryan said.
“He (Ellsberg) is very strong. Even though he’s had three starts over 1600 and hasn’t won one, he’s still very strong.
“He maintains his gallop from the 500m mark. I’ve never seen him stopping in a race, and he’s an off-pacer who keeps going.”