Solicit To Debut For Ryan In Guy Walter Stakes

Talented mare Solicit joined the stable of Gerald Ryan last week and will make her debut for her new stable in the 2015 Guy Walter Stakes at Warwick Farm on Saturday.

Solicit has the chance to return to winning form in the 2015 Guy Walter Stakes. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Solicit has the chance to return to winning form in the 2015 Guy Walter Stakes. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Solicit was previously prepared by the training duo of Simon Zahra and Matthew Ellerton, but she has been sent to Sydney for what is likely to be the final campaign of her racing career to date.

Ryan said that Solicit has settled in well to her new environment ahead of the Group 3 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) this weekend and he is hopeful that the Street Cry mare can show that she is worthy of a return to Group 1 racing for events like the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 14 and Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.

“She got here on Tuesday week after racing the previous Saturday at Caulfield and it took her until the Thursday to settle in,” Ryan told Sky Racing HQ.

“She hasn’t left an oat since, she is a pretty basic straightforward sort of filly and she was in pretty good nick when I got her.

“I have just been ticking her over and she appears to be well in herself.

“Her work has been good, I haven’t got her off the bit, but she is a lovely and bit mare that is healthy and well.

“It is not as if her form has been terrible.

“It is probably her last preparation of racing, but she has come up here because there are a few more races up here for her than there were in Melbourne.

“If she found her form she is up to being very competitive in a race like the Coolmore and Queen Of The Turf.”

Solicit was allocated barrier 13 when the 2015 Guy Walter Stakes field was released on Wednesday, but Ryan does not believe that the wide draw will prove to be an issue for the four-year-old.

Ryan still expects jockey Jason Collett to take up the running on Solicit in the early stages of the Guy Walter Stakes, but he feels that the wide draw gives the talented hoop the opportunity to get the talented mare to the front without being caught between other horses.

“I said to (owner) David Moodie on Monday night that I would prefer her to draw between 8 and 14 at the 1400 metre start there then inside five because when you look back at her tapes she is not that quick the first bit and she sort of builds into it and rolls,” Ryan said.

“I would prefer to see her drawn where she is drawn rather than in close where the speedy horses may have covered her up.

“I don’t mind her drawn there at all.”

Solicit is currently available at 2015 Guy Walter Stakes odds of $15 with Ladbrokes, while Cosmic Endeavour ($4.80) is a narrow favourite from Arabian Gold ($5), Mahara ($9) and Diamond Drille ($10).

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.