Trainer Gerald Ryan is happy with the condition of Ygritte heading into the 2014 Golden Rose at Rosehill Gardens this weekend and he believes that the talented filly has taken plenty of benefit out of strong performance in the Group 3 The Run To The Rose (1200m).
Ygritte is chasing a maiden black type race win in the 2014 Golden Rose at Rosehill Gardens this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Ygritte returned to the races with a disappointing sixth place finish in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 16, but produced a much improved performance when third behind Hallowed Crown and Kumaon in The Run To The Rose.
Ryan told RSN that Ygritte has improved with each run this preparation and he is confident that the daughter of Snitzel is ready to perform at her best in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) this weekend.
“She has come through really good,” Ryan said.
“She had her first-up run in the San Domenico without having a trial and she improved off it to her second run.
“I reckon she has improved a good bit since she ran third in The Run To The Rose.
“It is going to be a tough race on Saturday, but she finished there amongst the boys at her last start and she has trained on really well since.
“She improved from the San Domenico to The Run To The Rose, but I think that she has improved more now to look at her and in the feed bin and that.
“She was the same last time as a two-year-old; she wasn’t a huge doer and the further she got into her preparation the better she got in the feed bin and she has done the same this time.”
Ygritte appeared to fare well in the Golden Rose Stakes barrier draw that was conducted yesterday after she drew barrier seven, but Ryan believes that he may be forced to change his plans with the three-year-old in the Group 1 event.
Ryan revealed that he would have liked to see Ygritte settled further back in the field than she was in both the San Domenico Stakes and Run To The Rose, but is concerned that the filly will be caught wide if jockey Brenton Avdulla elects not to push forward in the early stages of the race.
“In her two runs we have ridden her a bit closer to the lead and I would have liked to see her a few lengths further back than that both times, but because of the barriers of the race we were right on top of the speed.
“On Saturday I would like to see her back in fifth or sixth, but looking at the gates I don’t know if we were going to be able to because we run a high risk of being caught four wide.
“We might have to stride forward a little bit, but I don’t think that the 1400 will hold any fears for her.”
Ygritte is currently available at Golden Rose odds of $21, while stablemate Bachman is $41 to start his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a victory.
