Skyhook proved there is no substitute for class and put himself firmly into the Stradbroke Handicap conversation with a brilliant all-the-way win in the Group 3 $250,000 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) at Hawkesbury on Saturday.
A riding plan devised by trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexious was carried out to the letter by top jockey Josh Parr as striking chestnut made all to win the Guineas easily.
“When Sterling and I were doing the form on the race on Thursday, we noticed there wasn’t a lot of early speed,” Ryan said.
“So, we decided to lead and take bad luck out of the equation. He won the Pago Pago Stakes last season when he led so we told Josh to ride him like the best horse in the race.
“Josh, who first rode for me 20 years ago, did everything right on Skyhook, it was a very good ride.
“It’s funny because a number of other jockeys knocked back the ride on Skyhook but when I saw Josh on a winner at Randwick last Saturday, I asked him to ride the colt – and I’m glad I did!”
Skyhook ($3.40) made light of his 58kg topweight to win by one-and-a-half lengths from Burma Star ($18) with Wootton Lass ($41) a half length away third.
Regal Award was well backed into $2.70 favouritism but he was never really a winning hope, labouring into fifth placing.
For Ryan and Alexiou, Skyhook’s return to winning form gives them confidence to aim high with the brilliant three-year-old during the Brisbane autumn-winter carnival.
Ryan said he will consider setting Skyhook for the Group 1 $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 13.
“Skyhook is a well-bred colt so you have to look at Group 1 options like the Doomben 10,000 (May 16),” Ryan said.
“But I believe this horse likes his races spaced and we might look at something like the (Group 3 $300,000) Fred Best Classic (1400m, Eagle Farm, May 30). If he wins that race, then he gets into the Stradbroke field.”
Skyhook firmed to the fourth line of Stradbroke betting at $15 behind the $6 favourite Angel Capital.
