Now a Group 2 race, Gerald Ryan, who trains in partnership with Sterling Alexiou, believes Saturday’s The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick will be a good opportunity for consistent four-year-old mare Arctic Glamour to add some more black type to her resume.
Arctic Glamour hasn’t won a race in just over a year, successful over the Randwick 1400m in the Listed Reginald Allen Quality when beating Joliestar 12 months ago, but has placed thrice at Group 2 level since and was only 2.1 lengths off Ceolwulf when fifth in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) last start.
“She keeps putting in, having a go. If she was ever going to run 1600 metres it was going to be the other day in the Epsom. Good gate, no weight on her back, got a good run. Peeled out as if she was nearly going to win the race and just didn’t run a mile in that class,” Ryan said.
“She’s won at 1400 (metres) here, she runs well here on this track. Provided the weather stays fine, she does need it firm. Provided the weather stays fine, well, she’ll be very competitive.”
Kerrin Mcevoy has been booked to ride Arctic Glamour and has drawn barrier 14.
Meanwhile, promising Justify colt Just Party will line up in the Group 2 Callander-Presnell (1600m) where he’ll again clash with the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott trained Anode, who narrowly beat Just Party in the Listed Tapp-Craig (1400m) at Rosehill last start.
Just Party has only won a two-year-old race at Wyong but has form around the likes of Broadsiding and Lady Shenandoah and was unlucky when flashing late in the Tapp-Craig.
“He’s done well since his unlucky run the other day, he’ s just got to learn to jump out the gates better. There is a question mark on the 1600 metres with him. I think if the race could set up right for him and he could get a nice draw, I think he’ll run it,” Ryan said.
“He finished the race off really well up along the fence, but not many horses ran home on the fence last week. He was hard up against the fence, not two horses away.”
“Randwick’s better… but if he fails again at 1600 metres, he won’t go back there.”
Just Party has drawn the inside barrier for Jay Ford.