Trainer Gerald Ryan expects well bred colt Star Of Monsoon to put himself into Caulfield Guineas contention after he runs in the Maiden Plate (1250m) at Newcastle on Tuesday.
Kerrin McEvoy, above, will ride Star Of Monsoon at Newcastle. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Ryan has a high opinion of Star Of Monsoon who is yet to win from three race starts with his best performance being a debut fourth in the Group 3 $150,000 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on January 30.
The Lonhro colt has been placed twice in maiden company since with a third over 1200m at Canterbury on February 17 and a second to the Chris Waller trained filly Overstep over the same course and distance on July 27.
“Star of Monsoon will head to Melbourne if he performs as well as I believe he will at Newcastle. I have a 1400 metre race at Flemington picked out after Newcastle and all going well, he will contest the Caulfield Guineas Prelude,” Ryan told Racing NSW News.
“I am confident he will earn a start in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas in October. Kerrin McEvoy has been booked to ride him on Tuesday with a view to him riding the colt in Melbourne. I am taking three horses to Newcastle and Love’s a Fantasy (race 5) and Mon Pere (race 6) will both be hard to beat.”
Ryan said that Star Of Monsoon needed the run badly at Canterbury and will head to Newcastle much fitter and the bigger track will also suit him as he tries to gain a chance of running in the Group 1 $1m Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 8.
“He is a gross colt and was in need of the run when second to a good filly first-up,” Ryan said.
“The distance was a bit short for him that day. He goes to 1250m this time on a much bigger track and he is much fitter for the first-up run.”
While Star Of Monsoon is listed as a $1.70 chance to win his maiden at Newcastle on Tuesday, he is at the healthy odds of $41 in early Caulfield Guineas betting at Ladbrokes.com.au, well down the market order that is headed by Group 1 winning Kiwi three year old Sacred Elixir at $9.
Early market order for Caulfield Guineas: $9 Sacred Elixir, $13 Russian Revolution, Star Turn, $15 Capitalist, Impending, Prized Icon, $17 Derryn, El Divino, Hardham, Mediterranean, Saracino, $19 Good Standing, $21 Divine Prophet, Highland Beat, Throssell.
