Gerald Ryan is lukewarm on pursuing a Golden Slipper start with Blitzburg despite the colt outsprinting his rivals to post an all-the-way win in the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes at Rosehill.
The most experienced youngster in Saturdayâs field of seven, Blitzburg ($4.80) gave a strong kick at the top of the straight and never looked like being run down, scoring by 1-1/4 lengths over Hillier ($20) with the runner-upâs Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained stablemate Peleus ($15) another half-length away third.
Ryan believes a race like the Black Opal Stakes in Canberra is a realistic target for the winner, although he isnât closing the door on a 2025 Golden Slipper berth.
âHeâs not a Slipper horse. I think he is a rung below,â Ryan said.
âBut it is the Golden Slipper, he is only two once, so we will see how he ends up.
âThe Black Opal might be his go.
âWe will just pick our races with him and if he is flying at Slipper time we might go there.â
Ryan identified Saturdayâs Canonbury Stakes (1100m) as an ideal target for Blitzburg following the coltâs debut win at Newcastle in November.
In between the juvenile travelled to Queensland, placing at Eagle Farm before failing to gain a start as second emergency for the Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast.
Ryan subsequently treated Blitzburg for a minor cough, meaning the colt couldnât contest the 2YO Classic when it was postponed, but the two-year-old did nothing but thrive once back in Sydney.
âWe couldnât run on Friday night (seven-day rule) as I had treated him on the (previous) Saturday morning,â Ryan said.
âThe stewards let me scratch him and he has not missed a beat since heâs been back at home.
âIâve been telling everyone for days he would run âhugeâ.â
Tyler Schiller partnered Blitzburg in the Canonbury Stakes (1100m0, saying he wasnât surprised by the performance after the colt worked strongly during the week.
âHeâs not a very big horse, so I was just hoping his work didnât take it out of him too much,â Schiller said.
âHe jumped sharp today, he got to dictate. I think that was the main thing, He doesnât really like horses getting past him and I thought he was very aggressive, when he got challenged he attacked the line awesome.â
Co-trainer Rob Archibald was delighted with the efforts of the minor placegetters considering both were on debut.
âWe were hopeful but it was their first start so you are never really sure how they would go but both ran very good races,â Archibald said.