Apprentice Damien Thornton has been entrusted with the Group One ride on Time For War in the Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Thornton’s boss Gerald Ryan will have four runners in Saturday’s $1 million race including Saturday’s Golden Slipper fourth Believe Yourself who is the TAB’s $4.60 favourite.
Lucky Raquie and Peggy Jean are the next two in the market at $6 but $8 quote Bachman, winner of Saturday’s Group Three Schweppervesence over the Sires’ distance of 1400m, will not run.
Time For War is at $11.
“Believe Yourself ate up last night has pulled up really well so there’s no reason not to back her up,” Ryan said.
“The Sires’ has been the aim all along for Lucky Raquie, Peggy Jean and Time For War but Bachman will stay home on Saturday.
“All five will go to the Champagne Stakes two weeks later depending on how they are.”
Time For War has had two starts for two wins with Thornton aboard including the Group Two Pago Pago Stakes, the 18-year-old’s first stakes win.
The colt should have been to the races more often but has had a few problems in the barriers and was a late scratching from last month’s Skyline Stakes after doing a lap of Randwick.
“Damien does all the work on him and he gets on well with him,” Ryan said.
Believe Yourself will have her Slipper jockey Brenton Avdulla as her pilot after her fine effort behind Mossfun who has been sent for a spell.
While Mossfun missed the start and worked her way forward, Believe Yourself was last for much of the race and made up many lengths in the straight.
“It was a fantastic effort,” Ryan said.
“She is little but has a heart as big as herself.”
Lucky Raquie won the Black Opal Stakes and Inglis Classic winner Peggy Jean finished a close second in the Magic Night Stakes won by Bring Me The Maid who edged Believe Yourself out of third in the Slipper.
Glyn Schofield will ride Lucky Raquie and Nash Rawiller will be aboard Peggy Jean.
The Sires’ quartet has helped Ryan to an enviable record with two-year-olds this season with the stable producing nine individual winners of 13 races so far.
