For the past two years, trainer Gerald Ryan has had to wait in the second placegetter’s stall to welcome Hot Snitzel back after the Heffernan Stakes.
He is hoping to move a couple of steps sideways on Saturday after Charlie Boy runs in the Group Three sprint at Sandown.
Charlie Boy winning the The Danehill Stakes at Flemington – photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
“I’ve run second in this race for the past two years with Hot Snitzel and run into a good one each time,” Ryan said.
“The first year it was the Stradbroke winner Mid Summer Music and last year Lankan Rupee won it.
“I’d like to win it this time with Charlie Boy.
“He came through the Flemington race in good order and after looking at the race again, I wasn’t too disappointed.
“Michael Rodd rides him and I think the horse will do well at weight-for-age.”
In his only other attempt in weight-for-age company, Charlie Boy ran Group One winner Famous Seamus to a short neck in the Premiere Stakes at Randwick in early October.
There were 15 entries taken on Monday for the Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1300m) with veteran We’re Gonna Rock the highest rated on 104.
A multiple Group One placegetter for trainer Mark Kavanagh, the injury-prone We’re Gonna Rock is now with Tony Romeo and made his comeback after two years when unplaced in a 1000m Listed sprint at Flemington last Thursday.
Charlie Boy has a 98 rating.
Godolphin trainers John O’Shea and Anthony Freedman could be rivals with Generalife and Reparations both entered.
The Freedman-trained Reparations won Saturday’s Listed MSS Security Sprint (1200m) at Flemington while Generalife has performed well with thirds behind Lucky Hussler and Hucklebuck in Group Three races at his past two starts.
Hucklebuck and Lucky Hussler ran one-two in Saturday’s Group One Emirates Stakes, the final Group One race of the Melbourne Cup carnival.
