King’s Troop To The Paddock After San Domenico Stakes

Trainer Gerald Ryan has confirmed that King’s Troop will head to the spelling paddock after he runs in the 2015 San Domenico Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Gerald Ryan is happy with King's Troop heading into the 2015 San Domenico Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Gerald Ryan is happy with King’s Troop heading into the 2015 San Domenico Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello

King’s Troop stamped himself as a horse to watch when he recorded a dominant seven lengths win in a barrier trial over 904 metres at Rosehill Gardens on July 7, but he was beaten as a short-priced favourite by Chris Waller-trained Japonisme in the Bob Ingham Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on July 18.

The Redoute’s Choice colt was set to run against Japonisme again in The Tradie Magazine Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 1, but Ryan elected to save him for a maiden at Warwick Farm on August 5 and the decision paid dividends when the colt cruised to a very easy four lengths win.

King’s Troop was included in the nominations for both the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) in Sydney and the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield, but Ryan told Sky Racing HQ that the Arrowfield-owned colt would run in the San Domenico Stakes before heading for a stint in the spelling paddock.

“It is his first racing preparation and he is only going to have one more run and then go out,” Ryan said.

“You either run on your home track or go ten hours down the road and run at Caulfield.

“I just think that it might be better to run on our home track and with the weather we should get a firm track.

“He was always going to have one more run after he came out of Warwick Farm and that would be it.

“We will stay and have a crack here.”

Ryan admits that King’s Troop will face easily the toughest test of his racing career when he takes on the likes of Vancouver in the San Domenico Stakes, but he believes that the fitness edge and the drop in weight gives his promising colt the opportunity to record an upset win in the Group 3 event this weekend.

“I know that it is infinitely harder than what he has been racing in, but he has two runs under his belt, he is fit and well and he gets weight off him this time,” Ryan said.

“Both him and Japonisme have had two runs and if these horses are going to beat top weights it is going to be Saturday because they are getting three or four kilos off them.”

Ryan is chasing his third win in the San Domenico Stakes after previously taking out the race with Snitzerland in 2012 and Zariz in 2000.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.