Red Excitement produces best of the morning gallop

A best of the morning gallop at Rosehill last Monday will ensure that Red Excitement is in top order heading into the Listed $120,000 Chester Manifold Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Red Excitement rounded off his preparation for the Chester Manifold Stakes with a best of the morning gallop at Rosehill on Monday. Photo by Steve Hart.

Red Excitement rounded off his preparation for the Chester Manifold Stakes with a best of the morning gallop at Rosehill on Monday. Photo by Steve Hart.

Rosehill trackman John Moc was on hand to record Red Excitement’s 1000m gallop on the Pro Ride track at Rosehill on Monday morning and was impressed with the gelding’s final sectionals of 36.77 secs for the final 600m, 22.75 secs for the final 400m and 11.14 for his last 200m dash to the line.

“Red Excitement’s trackwork is always of high standard and on Monday he produced a best of the morning gallop,” Moc reported in his Sportsman column on Friday.

The Gerald Ryan trained Red Excitement resumed from a lengthy spell to score a first up win over 1400m at Rosehill on December 20.

The five year old created a huge impression over the Summer months earlier in the year after scoring a hat trick of wins but was forced to the sidelines after sustaining a tendon injury following his win over 1600m at Randwick on February 8.

Jockey Brenton Avdulla has been aboard Red Excitement for six of his twenty-six starts and will take the reins again in the Chester Manifold Stakes after steering the five year to his ninth win at his last start at Rosehill.

Avdulla will have to be at the top of his game after Red Excitement came up with barrier twelve in the thirteen horse field but the wide gate hasn’t dampened the confidence of his trainer.

“He will probably be midfield,” trainer Gerald Ryan told Racing Ahead.

“You have to face the fact that he is going to be three wide, but as long as he is three wide with cover.

“He is quiet an amazing horse and he seems to go better when he is covering ground in races.

“He is a horse that is out using his stride and using his action he goes a lot better than if he is hemmed up amongst them.

Ryan said that Red Excitement was a very versatile galloper as he showed when he led all of the way in his latest win at Rosehill, but added that he is just at home sitting off of the pace.

“We have ridden him up on the speed and from the back and provided they roll along a bit he can build up and be very strong at the end,” Ryan said.

“The other day he drew the outside barrier and the race looked devoid of any speed and because he was fresh and well he was able to bounce straight to the front and maintain it throughout the race.

“Saturday there looks to be heaps of speed, so I can picture him midfield.”

The Robbie Laing trainer Lord Of The Sky looks the leader as he likes to roll along in front but is stepping up to 1400m for the first time in his career and could be suspect at the distance after running second at his last two starts over 1200m.

Two starts back jockey Noel Callow took a sit on Lord Of The Sky behind the pace before running second to Tried and Tired in the Listed $120,000 Jackie Loughlin Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Sandown on December 26.

But the speedy four year old was back to his familiar front running tactics when he set the pace in the Group 3 $150,000 Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on New Year’s Day before running second to Decircles.

Apprentice Patrick Moloney will take over from Callow on Lord Of The Sky on Saturday.

Red Excitement heads the market order for the Chester Manifold Stakes and is the $3.80 favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of last start Sandown winner Tried And Tired at $5.

Reparations shares the next line of betting at $7 with South Australian galloper Boristar while the front running Lord Of The Sky is marked at $7.50.

Decircles is listed as a $12 chance alongside of the Robert Smerdon trained Go The Knuckle.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.