Gerald Ryan lands a double and two placings at Wyong
ROSEHILL trainer Gerald Ryan rates Goresbridge as the standout performer of his stable at Wyong on Thursday after the three-year-old gelding won its maiden in emphatic style.
Ridden by James Innes Jnr, Goresbridge jumped beautifully and went forward in the early stages before being restrained and taken back to slot into third spot behind the leader.
Swinging for home, the son of New Approach and Pastel Rose let down beautifully, racing straight to the front and sprinting clear to score by just under five lengths in a new class record 58.04 over the 1000m trip.
Ryan said the brown gelding did everything right and looks to have a bright future on the race track.
“What I liked about today was that he went to go to the front and they kicked up underneath him so he was steadied and brought back. He fought James for 80 yards and then put his head down and rested and travelled nicely behind them,” Ryan told Horse Betting.
“It was a big win. I’m not a big believer in times, but times on the day I believe in and he has come here today on a soft five and run a class record.
“He’ll benefit from the experience here today. It has been quite a while in between runs for him so he is only going to get fitter as well.”
Covering the action at @WyongRaceClub for @HorseBettingAU – first favourite Goresbridge parades well pic.twitter.com/lGkPGDl7Kb
— Kat Ernst (@Kat_Ernst92) July 13, 2017
Goresbridge, which finished second on debut at Canterbury last month, is now expected to continue on towards better races by his trainer.
“I am happy with where he is and where he is going so if he pulls up well I’ll have a look around for another nice race for him before he turns four,” Ryan said.
“He is a nice horse capable of going through the grades and I think he’ll eventually be winning metropolitan races.”
Ryan collected a double at the Wyong meeting – his other winner being Bright Future in race six, a class three plate for the boys over 1200m.
Bright Future has now had three runs back from a spell for two wins and a second, taking his overall record to eight starts for two wins and two minor placings.
Goresbridge in an absolute canter. Wins like a $1.30 pop should. #Wyong #horseracing
— Stephen Rodgers (@Steve_Rodgers) July 13, 2017
Ryan, who has trained the five-year-old on and off throughout his career, says Bright Future is final starting to put it all together.
“I had him early on and then he left me and went to another trainer. I got him back on the condition that he was trained from our farm out at Hawkesbury because he is a bit silly and there is too much empty space between his ears,” Ryan quipped.
“When we closed the farm down we brought him back to Rosehill and he has settled down heaps – he’s had three runs back now for two wins and a second.
“He’s no star but if we keep placing him well he’ll keep winning and paying his way.”
Ryan also collected two place-getters with Star Of Monsoon and Shifty Thinker finishing second and third in their respective races.
It was a frustrating result for Star Of Monsoon’s connections, with the regally bred son of Lonrho and Monsoon Wedding remaining winless after 15 starts when going down behind Sensacova in race five.
“He’s got the ability and the pedigree to win a race,” Ryan said.
“He just keeps finding one better on the day but we’ll keep changing things around and trying some different things.”
It wasn’t a frustrating result for Shifty Thinker, however, with the three-year-old filly far from disgraced when dead-heating for third behind Last Card Joe over 1350m.
The effort followed a maiden win at Newcastle over 1200m, but Ryan explained she had a lot of things against her on Thursday at Wyong.
“She is a filly which has taken a long time to mature. Her three runs this prep have been good. She was in a 1000m race on a heavy track at Kembla which was unsuitable but it was a solid effort and then she went to Newcastle and won a three-year-old fillies maiden, I thought she was very impressive.
“I thought she ran very well today. She had 59 kilograms on her back which was five kilos up on her last start against the older horses and I think she is a filly which can improve.
“I like the way she is maturing.”