Ryan Pleased With Solicit Ahead Of Expressway Stakes

Solicit will return to the races in the 2016 Expressway Stakes and trainer Gerald Ryan is delighted with the talented mare ahead of the Group 2 event at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Solicit finished her spring campaign with a win in the Summoned Stakes. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Solicit finished her spring campaign with a win in the Summoned Stakes. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Solicit was sent for a stint in the spelling paddock after she recorded a dominant four and a half lengths victory in the Group 3 Summoned Stakes (1500m) at Sandown on November 14, but she was only given a brief break and will carry plenty of residual fitness into the Expressway Stakes this weekend.

Ryan admits that Solicit is not a genuine 1200 metre sprinter and she could be outpaced by the likes of Our Boy Malachi in the Expressway Stakes, but he told Racing Ahead that the daughter of Street Cry has given him nothing but positive signs ahead of the start of her autumn preparation.

“She has come back really well,” Ryan said.

“She had 18 days off at David Moodie’s place and then they worked her three weeks.

“She got here just leading into Christmas and she maintained a lot of fitness.

“She appears to have up really well and he mindset is terrific, she is good in herself, she is working good and is relaxed.

“I was happy with her trial the other day.

“She is not a genuine 1200 metres horse, but the way she has come up I am very happy with the way she is going heading into Saturday.

“She will take good improvement, probably as much as she did when she ran first-up at Caulfield.”

The Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 12 will be the major 2016 Autumn Racing Carnival goal for Solicit, but Ryan confirmed that she is likely to head to Melbourne for the Group 1 Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 13 and the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at the same venue a week later.

Ryan said that he would like to keep Solicit in Sydney, but he does not want to run her at Royal Randwick, where she has previously failed to fire in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) and Group 3 Aspiration Quality (1600m).

“The ultimate goal is the Coolmore here at Rosehill on the 12th of March,” Ryan said.

“After Saturday she might end up at Caulfield for the CF Orr.

“Her next two runs here in Sydney would be at Randwick now they have changed the Chipping Norton to Randwick, but the one run for Matty Ellerton when he had her she finished a long way behind at Randwick in the mile after running second in the Vinery and her second run for me was at Randwick and she went awful.

“She has had two runs at Randwick and she has been beaten a total of 74 and a half lengths, so I am a bit hesitant about going back to Randwick with her.

“I think after Saturday if she pulls up well she will probably end up in Melbourne.”

Solicit is currently available at 2016 Expressway Stakes odds of $6 with Ladbrokes and she is on the third line of betting behind Our Boy Malachi ($2.25) and Generalife ($3.50).

About The Author

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.