Canterbury previews: Gerald Ryan has feature goals for stable stars while in-form pair are primed to win

Trainer Gerald Ryan is finalising race program plans for his classy carnival three-year-olds Peltzer and Ellsberg while trying to maintain the stable’s winning momentum with Tectonicus and Rammstein at the Canterbury Park midweek meeting on Wednesday.

Peltzer is among entries for the final Group 1 race in Sydney this season, the $600,000 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday but Ryan is concerned the colt may miss a start.

“Peltzer is 20th (in order of entry) and I don’t see many coming out,” said Ryan, who trains in partnership with Sterling Alexiou.

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Trainer Gerald Ryan is hoping Peltzer can make it into the field for Saturday’s Group 1 All Aged Stakes at Randwick. Photo: Mark Evans/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

“If he doesn’t get into the All Aged at Randwick, we will probably send Peltzer straight to Queensland for the carnival up there.”

Ryan said the alternative for Peltzer is the Group 2 $350,000 Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm on May 1.

Ellsberg, a runaway winner of the Listed South Pacific Classic on Day Two of The Championships last Saturday, is likely to race next in the Group 3 $200,000 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) at the Hawkesbury stand-alone meeting run the same day as the Queensland Guineas.

“I’m really happy with how Ellsberg has come through his first-up win but I’m reluctant to get him out to 1600m too soon in his preparation,” Ryan said.

“So, Ellsberg will go to Hawkesbury and we can keep him and Peltzer on separate paths for now.”

Ellsberg was impressive winning the Listed South Pacific Classic at Randwick last Saturday. Photo: Grant GuySource:The Daily Telegraph

Ellsberg resumed with his breakthrough stakes win by three lengths at Randwick last Saturday and capped a very successful day for the Ryan-Alexiou stable as they also had three winners at Kembla Grange with Steely, Mihocek and Le Vizir.

At Canterbury on Wednesday, Ryan and Alexiou only have the two starters and could easily leave with a brace of wins.

The in-form Tectonicus is challenging for favouritism at $4.20 for the Robrick Lodge Handicap (1550m) while Rammstein is at the top of betting at $4.80 when he resumes in the XXXX Handicap (1200m).

Tectonicus goes to Canterbury after an utterly dominant display at Wyong where he led throughout and won by nearly six lengths. The margin could have been doubled if the gelding was put under any pressure by his rider in the straight.

“It was good to see Tectonicus do things right the other day,” Ryan said.

“I thought if he led like that he might start to pull and not settle but he actually relaxed nicely for the kid (apprentice Tyler Schiller).

Gerald Ryan expects Rammstein to perform well first-up at Canterbury on Wednesday. Photo: Grant GuySource:The Daily Telegraph

“It wasn’t much of a field, that’s why he was $1.12 but he galloped well and has come on nicely since that win.

“He’s a nice enough horse, very honest and that win has done his confidence the world of good.”

Ryan has booked Hall of Fame jockey Hugh Bowman to ride Tectonicus but has elected to go with apprentice Jean Van Overmeire for Rammstein’s return to racing.

“Rammstein likes to roll forward and Jean should suit the horse,” Ryan said.

“We haven’t trialled Rammstein, just given him a couple of jump outs, because he tends to trial too hard and it’s like we almost waste a run.

“But I’m happy with how he is coming up, the barrier draw is good for him and he does go well fresh.”

BRIDGE HAS LENNON ON SONG FOR FURTHER SUCCESS

The maestro Les Bridge has big-race ambitions for bargain basement buy Lennon who resumes in the Vinery Stud Handicap (1100m) at Canterbury Park on Wednesday.

In this era where $1 million-plus yearlings are commonplace, Bridge purchased Lennon for a modest $26,000 at the Scone Yearling Sale two years ago.

Lennon, named after Bridge’s four-year-old grandson, has already earned more than $34,000 from his two race starts including his Kensington win back in December.

Bridge said he hopes to secure a start for Lennon into the $300,000 Inglis Guineas (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on May 15.

“I wouldn’t mind winning this Canterbury race to give him the extra prizemoney to get in the Guineas,” Bridge said.

“The track and distance might not be too his liking but he is drawn out, we will ride him quiet and see if he can win it in the straight. He’s a lovely horse.”

Bridge is sending four runners to the Canterbury meeting including Absolute Legend in the Robrick Lodge Handicap (1500m) and Olympic Legend in the XXXX Handicap (1200m).

Everest winning duo, Les Bridge (right) and Kerrin McEvoy combine with the promising Lennon at Canterbury on Wednesday. Photo: Grant GuySource:The Daily Telegraph

“We are trying Absolute Legend over a distance,” Bridge said. “We will ride him quiet and see how he goes.

“I’m confident Olympic Legend will run well. He’s had a couple of nice trials and is going ‘good’.”

Absolute Legend and Olympic Legend are raced by Hong Kong’s Bon Ho of Classique Legend fame and Bridge provided an update on The Everest winner.

“Classique Legend has to come back from Hong Kong via New Zealand, we can’t get out of it,” Bridge said.

“He will spend two weeks there in quarantine before he gets to Sydney in early June. It will be hard for him but we’ll see how he goes.”

Bridge’s other Canterbury runner is named Mars in the TAB Handicap (1900m).

Mars was a winner of Wednesday’s course and distance before running sixth to Welsh Legend in Saturday class more than a month ago.

“We have freshened up Mars and I’ve booked (apprentice) Reece Jones who is a good, strong kid,” Bridge said. “I’m more hopeful with Mars but he does like Canterbury.”

Originally published asCanterbury previews: In-form stable to keep the winners rolling in

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