Craig Kerry
Gerald Ryan locked in a Queensland Derby contender and a potential Oaks chance with progeny by his late group 1-winning sprinter Snitzel thanks to a group 3 double at Randwick on Saturday.
Matias claimed the Frank Packer Plate (2000m) after Snitzel Dancer won the James HB Carr Stakes (1400m), giving Ryan and co-trainer Sterling Alexiou hopes for the Queensland winter carnival’s group 1 2400m staying tests for three-year-olds.
Ryan said the Derby had long been a target for Matias, which won the group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (1800m) at Eagle Farm in December for prominent Queensland owner Ron Wanless.
“His aim has always been the Queensland Derby, if he proved himself at 2000m today,” Ryan said of the $450,000 gelding out of Never Listen.
“I know he’s by Snitzel, but his first three dams all won or run a place in the Oaks.
“After he won at Brisbane, we were thinking about only giving him a short time [off] … and aiming towards the Rosehill Guineas, but it was just going to be rushing him a bit, so we gave him longer and aimed at the Carbine Club and today.”
He said Matias would race next in the Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben on May 16, then in the Derby two weeks later.
Ryan was less confident of Snitzel Dancer ($21) getting to the Oaks, after she caused an upset over previously unbeaten Peter Snowden-trained Plaintiff, which was overhauled late after a three-wide run without cover.
Ryan said the likely next target for Snitzel Dancer was the listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m), or the Queensland Guineas (1600m) a week earlier on May 2 at Eagle Farm, before a decision on an Oaks tilt.
The $425,000 yearling was coming off a Hawkesbury class 1 win over 1500m, which followed two head-scratching failures at Warwick Farm to start this preparation.
“We’ve liked her all the way along,” he said.
“I just reckon she didn’t like Warwick Farm. We took her to Hawkesbury and she beat the older horses with a big weight, then we decided to back off her and aim at this race with the idea of going to Queensland.
“I think she will get at least 1800, then we’ll see how we go.
“We bought about four Snitzel fillies that year and she must have been the most expensive. Brad [Hunt] and Ben [Vassallo] from BK Racing were the losing bidder on her, and they came in [the ownership].”
In the group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m), seven-year-old Mazu completed a remarkable treble in the race as trainer Joe Pride prepared the trifecta.
Mazu, which ran in last year’s Everest, led under Rachel King before holding out King’s Secret and Private Eye late.
It gave Mazu three Hall Mark Stakes in a row, and they have been his only wins in that period. A winner of more than $10.8 million, Mazu’s most recent victory before the 2024 Hall Mark win was the 2022 Doomben 10,000.
Pride said King’s Secret would more than likely head to the paddock, Private Eye would next go to the Doomben 10,000 then the Kingsford-Smith Cup, while Mazu would either spell or campaign in Queensland.
Asterix makes mark for NZ cricket boss
Trainer Chris Waller was looking to the Gosford Cup with Asterix, part-owned by New Zealand cricket president and former Test player Mark Greatbatch, which scored just his second win in Australia.
Asterix, the 2022 New Zealand Derby winner, burst through the pack late under Jason Collett on Saturday to claim the group 3 JRA Plate (2000m) by a half-length from You Wahng.
The first-up win followed victory in the $300,000 Beauford at Newcastle in the spring which ended a 21-month drought.
“He’s got his mojo back,” Waller said.
“I didn’t know what to expect, 2000m first-up, but that was great to see. He’s got some of his New Zealand Derby form back.”
Waller said a Queensland campaign beckoned for Asterix after the Gosford Cup on May 9.
Sargent mare on fast track to stakes aim
Randwick trainer John Sargent was eyeing black-type targets for Unique Ambition ($12) after she came from near-last to clock a class record in the Midway Handicap (1400m) at home on Saturday.
Under Nash Rawiller, the five-year-old rattled home to win the 1400m benchmark 72 handicap by one and a half lengths from Dusty Bay. Her time of 1.21:67 bettered the previous best of 1.21:82 set by Northern Eyes.
Sargent said he would look for a lower-level black-type races over 1400m for Unique Ambition, possibly at Scone, which hosts its standalone city meeting on May 16. The group 3 Dark Jewel (1400m) for fillies and mares is the feature race.
Dean Mirfin-trained Ishikari ($11) also set a new class record on the good 4 track in the next, the class 3 Highway Handicap (1400m), when leading all the way under Rachel King.
Quinton staying patient with Signor
Trainer Ron Quinton was resisting the temptation to race Signor Tortoni on this preparation despite the four-year-old scoring “probably his best win” on Saturday.
A $5.50 favourite, Signor Tortoni raced behind the leader before powering away late to a one and a quarter-length victory in the benchmark 88 handicap (1200m) under Kerrin McEvoy.
Quinton said he was worried about the gelding carrying the hefty weight of 61 kilograms and he had considered running him instead in the group 3 Hall Mark Stakes, “but there were so many group winners in it and he’s got plenty of time to run in group races”.
He said he was likely to spell Signor Tortoni, which was having his sixth start this campaign, rather that chase a stakes race now.
“That was probably his best win,” Quinton said.
“He could always gallop, and I couldn’t believe how long it took him to win his maiden.
“As Bart Cummings said, patience is the cheapest thing in racing.”
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