Razor Sharp Handicap Performance To Decide Next Race Start For Dothraki

Trainer Gerald Ryan has revealed that he will decide on the next race start for Dothraki after he runs in the 2014 Razor Sharp Handicap at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Dothraki is set to start as one of the favourites in the 2014 Razor Sharpe Handicap. Photo by: Steve Hart

Dothraki is set to start as one of the favourites in the 2014 Razor Sharpe Handicap. Photo by: Steve Hart

Dothraki will likely have at least two more race starts this preparation after returning to racing on October 25 and Ryan told Sky Racing HQ that he is a chance of making the trip to Queensland for the $400,000 Magic Millions Cup (1400m) on January 10 or remaining in Sydney for races like the Listed Carrington Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick on New Year’s Day depending on his performance in the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m) this weekend.

“We will decide after Saturday,” Ryan said.

“We could go up to Magic Millions for the Cup or we could stay here for the Sprint Series, but we will after Saturday to see how he is going.”

Dothraki was gelded at the end of his autumn preparation and he has produced three impressive performances since returning to the races with a close second behind You’ll Never in the Men Of League Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on October 25.

The Mossman gelding recorded the fourth race win of his career when he took out the Whyte & Gilmour Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 15 and he was far from disgraced when second behind the talented Our Boy Malachi in the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at the same venue on November29.

Ryan has been happy with the form of Dothraki this preparation and he believes that the ‘ultimate gear change’ has given him the ability to settle in the early stages of his races, which will be the likely tactics employed on the four-year-old in the Razor Sharp Handicap.

“He seems well and he is coping his racing really well this time in,” Ryan said.

“We don’t do heaps with him, but he did a bit of pace work the other morning and he seemed bright and this morning he had a little gallop.

“I’m really happy with the way that he is going.

“I don’t know if he is a better horse, but he is a more honest horse and a more consistent horse.

“There was never a big drama around the place with him being a colt, but sometimes on raceday he just didn’t have his mind on the job.

“I just reckon his three runs back have been identical and consistent and it has just made him a little bit better on race day.”

Dothraki is chasing his first win at black type level since he took out the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) earlier this year.

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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.