The 2015 George Ryder Stakes field has been released and 14 talented gallopers are set to contest what is set to be a competitive Group 1 event at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Cosmic Endeavour will have the chance to record a second straight win at Group 1 level in the 2015 George Ryder Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Irish galloper Gordon Lord Byron won the George Ryder Stakes in 2014 and the race will have an international presence for the second year in a row after Japanese gallopers World Ace and Real Impact were included in the field.
World Ace is yet to record a race win at the highest level of racing, but he finished second behind Gold Ship in the 2012 edition of the Japanese 2000 Guineas and has been a consistent performer at Group 1level throughout his racing career.
The Deep Impact entire will be returning to the races for the first time since he finished fourth behind Able Friend in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin in December and will be ridden by talented hoop Nick Hall.
Real Impact has not tasted success at Group 1 level since he took out the 2011 edition of the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m), but he will be taking winning form into the George Ryder Stakes after he took out the Group 2 Hanshin Cup (1400m) at the end of last year.
The Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) is set to be the key form guide to the George Ryder Stakes and placegetters Cosmic Endeavour and Criterion have both been included in the acceptances for the Group 1 event.
Cosmic Endeavour started her 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign with credible performances in the Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 14 and the Group 3 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) before she led from start to finish to record a second win at Group 1 level in the Canterbury Stakes, while Criterion worked home strongly on the rail in his first race start since he finished third in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m) in December.
Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller has an excellent record in the George Ryder Stakes and he will have six chances to win the Group 1 event for the fourth time this weekend.
Sacred Falls and Royal Descent will both be backing up from the Canterbury Stakes and are sure to have taken plenty of benefit out of their first-up run, while Moriarty and I’m Imposing will be returning to the races for the first time this preparation.
Waller has also elected to include talented colt Kermadec in the George Ryder Stakes field rather than run the three-year-old in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas.
Kermadec will be taking on older horses for the first time in his racing career and is still chasing a maiden win at the highest level of racing following his luckless fourth in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 21.
Another three-year-old set to contest the 2015 George Ryder Stakes is Team Snowden-trained Shooting To Win.
Shooting To Win stamped himself as one of the best three-year-olds in the country when he took out the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival, but he has been unable to record a race win this preparation after finishing fourth in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) and third in the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m).
Team Snowden are still keen to run Shooting To Win in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) and they believe that the George Ryder Stakes might be the ideal race for the three-year-old.
John Thompson-trained Hooked (barrier one), Ajax Stakes winner Burbero (barrier two) and Godolphin import It’s Somewhat (barrier eight) round out the 2015 George Ryder Stakes field.
