Trainer Gerald Ryan has already struck the first blow in the new season’s three-year-old features and is out to land a second strike.
Menari won Saturday’s Listed Rosebud and a week later stablemate Trapeze Artist will contest the Group Three Up And Coming Stakes at Randwick.
Trapeze Artist surprised many, but not his trainer, when he won the Black Opal Stakes and ran third in the Group One ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes with a creditable Golden Slipper sixth in between.
He has run second in two barrier trials leading into Saturday’s 1300m-race pleasing both his trainer and jockey Tim Clark.
“His two trials have been good,” Ryan said.
“He is a very laid-back horse and only does what he had to do.
“I think he’s fit enough. He is a very hard horse to get a line on in his work but knowing him I think he’s ready.
“But there are a lot of good three-year-olds around this season.”
Trapeze Artist is the highest-rated of the 13 entries at 84 in the Up And Coming and has been given top weight of 61kg.
Menari carried 60.5kg to his win in the Rosebud and although Ryan touted the $10 million Everest as a target, the colt will be on a path to the Golden Rose.
Trapeze Artist is also headed to the 1400m-race along with Condor Heroes who runs in the San Domenico Stakes on Saturday week.
Among the Ryan stable’s other runners this weekend will be Deploy who stepped up during the Brisbane winter carnival to win the Group Two Moreton Cup.
He was given a short break after his fourth in the Healy Stakes on June 24.
“He went up to (owner) John Cornish’s Torryburn Stud for about 12 days,” Ryan said.
“He has done really well and is fit enough so I decided not to give him a trial.”
Deploy is one of 14 entries for the Show County headed by Ecuador and Foxplay.
