Latest news with #King'sLegacy
News.com.au
a day ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Thompson aiming to cap off outstanding season with bang at Randwick on Saturday
Local trainer John Thompson is set to launch one of his spring hopefuls at Sydney's last Saturday meeting of the 2024/25 racing season at Royal Randwick. The concluding season has been fruitful for the popular, softly spoken trainer, his 55 winners has been his best haul of winners since 2019/20. 'Looking back I'm happy with how things have gone,' Thompson said. 'The results in the past 12 months have been good. 'I think we are heading into the new season with a solid team of young two and three-year-olds.' One of the stable's best prospects will return from a spell on Saturday in the Keeneland September Yearling Sale 2YO Open Handicap (1100m). Open Secret mixed it with some of the best of her generation during her only racing campaign. After winning on her home track on debut, the juvenile daughter of King's Legacy, finished within two lengths of Rivellino and Within The Law in consecutive starts. 'She's a talented filly and I'm really happy with how she's coming up,' Thompson said. 'I always thought she'd develop into a nice three-year-old and I hasn't seen anything to make me change my mind. 'She's trialled up well and I'm looking forward to seeing how she performs. 'She'll improve out of the run but I'm expecting her to be competitive. 'If she can win on Saturday, we'll chase the three-year-old fillies races, probably starting with the Silver Shadow on Winx Stakes day.' Thompson will then saddle up two runners in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m). The stable's leading chance is last year's Four Pillars winner Kingston Charm which goes in off an unlucky second in a similar race two weeks ago. 'She's a horse that tends to get back a bit and those types of horses always need a bit of luck,' he said. 'She's going well and third up she's pretty close to her peak now. 'It looks a nice race for her.' • New ATC chairman floats fresh plan for Rosehill The stablemate Starphistocated has had three starts for Thompson for a win and two thirds in easier grade, but the trainer said the filly deserves a shot in Saturday company. 'She's honest and done well,' he said. 'I think she's been looking for the mile on a bigger track and that's what she gets on Saturday. 'She's at her peak so she sets up to run as well as she can and as I said she's honest.' According to Thompson, Bundeena is one of his better chances in the ATC Thank You Trainers Benchmark 88 Handicap (1100m). The Spirit Of Boom gelding was an impressive first-up winner at Royal Randwick 14 days ago when running away to score easily in Benchmark 78 grade. 'Everything fell into place for him first-up but he was really good,' he said. 'I'm happy with how he's going this prep and on Saturday he's drawn perfectly again and a bit of moisture in the track won't hurt his chances. 'This race is a bit stronger, but I do think he's got upside so it's going to be interesting to see how he lines up against them. 'I couldn't be happier with how he's going into the race.' Rounding out Thompson's team on Saturday are the lightly raced four-year-olds Opal Fields and Zouripper in the ATC Thank You Owners Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m). Opal Fields steps up from midweek grade while Zouripper has had a short let-up since his last start in a Midway on June 5. 'Opal Fields is going well enough at home to run well in a race like this so don't underestimate her,' Thompson said. 'Zouripper is a horse that goes really well fresh. His first-up win at Kembla was a bloody good win. 'He had 10 days in the paddock since his last run, so he's been freshened as that's when he's most effective.' Heading into the new season Thompson nominated With Your Blessing and Open Secret as horses to follow out of his stable. 'With Your Blessing is a horse that is on the rise and not far away,' he said. 'He's going well this prep and I'm hoping he can step up. 'I also looking forward to seeing how Open Secret runs on Saturday. 'She's a filly that the best is still ahead of, and I like her a lot.'
Courier-Mail
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Kembla preview: Ryan optimistic Explicit can beat older rivals
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. As the end of the season approaches, it's not uncommon to see two-year-olds taking on the older horses in lower grade races and winning. Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou take up the challenge at Kembla when the well-bred Explicit steps out in the Midway Maiden Plate (1600m). 'I don't mind running a two-year-old against the older horses at this time of the year because they get that weight advantage especially over a distance like 1600 metres,' said Gerald Ryan. Explicit is a son of Ryan's former Group 1 winner and champion sire Snitzel from Breakfast In Bed making him a three-quarter brother to dual Group 1 winner, King's Legacy. 'He has always shown us that he will be better over a little bit of ground,' he said. 'King's Legacy didn't show anything until he got to 1400m and 1600m. 'I quite like this horse and think he will come back a better three-year-old.' Explicit debuted with a seventh behind Aerodrome and Hidden Motive over 1200m at Warwick Farm on April 16. While beaten just over seven lengths by that pair, he was less than two lengths from the third placed Serpico. He appreciated the race experience, a step up in trip and a gear change when a length-and-a-half fourth to Aerodrome in the Clarendon at the Hawkesbury stand-alone meeting on May 3. 'He is a horse I always thought needed blinkers but we didn't put them on him in his first start because he had been a little bit difficult to get going,' said Ryan. 'After that run, I thought we are going to have to put them on and he adapted really well to them. 'I thought he ran quite well in the Clarendon at Hawkesbury the other day and it was quite a strong race.' Ryan and Alexiou also saddle up Rhegion in the same race at Kembla. The three-year-old son of Magna Grecia has placed third in both runs back from a long spell and won't be far away again. 'He had a wind operation after his first start 12 months ago and I don't like running those horses on heavy tracks if I can help it. 'He was a long time between run because I scratched him a couple of times because of heavy tracks and he just got to the stage where he had to run. 'His run at Muswellbrook first-up was quite good from a wide gate. 'I think he's improving the horse. I do prefer him on top of the ground. 'On his pedigree, stepping up to the 1600m will suit him.' The stable's other runner at Kembla is Western Lane in the Maiden Handicap (1200m). The three-year-old found the 900m at Newcastle too short on debut but did well to finish fourth behind Harlex and will appreciate the step up in trip. 'They were just a bit too quick for him. He will be better when he is able to travel a little bit,' Ryan said. 'He has improved off the run though and I think stepping up in journey to 1200m will suit him a lot better. 'I hope we don't get too much rain and I think he will be very competitive.' Ryan and Alexiou's only other runner for the day is Ballroom Bella in the Listed Ortensia Stakes at Scone. 'She has drawn a barrier at last. We won't ride her for speed like we have been. We will just ride her in behind the pace because she has performed well doing that before,' he said. 'She is capable of running well in a race like this.
