Death-defying bush galloper out to beat the odds at Randwick
Now almost seven, the gelding's fighting qualities will be called on again when he faces his greatest challenge on the track at Randwick on Saturday.
Who Ever Thought, a Highway Handicap winner at Rosehill last October, steps up out of country-only grade on a Saturday when he races in a benchmark 78 handicap (1600m), following wins at Scone and Canterbury.
A $27 chance with Sportsbet from the outside gate with Tom Sherry aboard, Who Ever Thought will have to defy the odds, but Gask says that's nothing new.
'There were a couple of times that the vet suggested we might have to put him down,' said Gask, a former Adelaide horseman who spent 10 years training in England before moving to the Upper Hunter in 2018.
'He had a spider bite to a leg and another to a sheath. He got his leg stuck in a stable as a young horse and nearly lost his hind fetlock. He impaled his chest, running into a fence, we think, during a storm at night.
'Through that time, he never got close to racing. I probably never galloped him until he was four.
'He's probably become a bit of a favourite because of all that, and he's got a few hang ups. He's a bit quirky.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Ryan eyes more Rosehill success with ‘sensational' Lady Extreme
Hawkesbury trainer Blake Ryan hopes to chase black type again with Lady Extreme, but there's no hurry. Ryan will happily take a third Saturday city win at Rosehill instead with the six-year-old mare, which has already earned almost 10 times her price and been 'sensational' for his stable. Lady Extreme was sixth last start in the listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton on July 16, which came after back-to-back wins at Rosehill, the first in Midway company then another in benchmark 78 grade. Those came after four consecutive seconds at Saturday and midweek city level in her previous campaign. With Alysha Collett aboard again, Lady Extreme returns to Rosehill on Saturday for the fourth race, a 1400m benchmark 78 for fillies and mares, after Ryan considered the open benchmark 78. Ryan hopes a likely heavy track will favour the $8 Sportsbet hope, and also scare off odds-on favourite Tuileries. 'She's won on heavy tracks and won on good tracks; she's pretty bulletproof in a lot of ways,' Ryan said. 'If there's speed in the race, she can come from back in the field. If they don't go quick, she was up running fourth, second up the other day. 'Wet tracks, dry tracks, she makes my job pretty easy by being versatile and honest.' The daughter of Extreme Choice, Lady Extreme has won $270,000 since coming to Ryan as an unraced $27,500 online buy for FED Bloodstock's Luke Wilkinson. She originally went for $250,000 as a Magic Millions yearling. Ryan had a first crack at black type racing with Lady Extreme in the Ramornie and was pleased with the effort.
The Age
3 days ago
- The Age
Ryan eyes more Rosehill success with ‘sensational' Lady Extreme
Hawkesbury trainer Blake Ryan hopes to chase black type again with Lady Extreme, but there's no hurry. Ryan will happily take a third Saturday city win at Rosehill instead with the six-year-old mare, which has already earned almost 10 times her price and been 'sensational' for his stable. Lady Extreme was sixth last start in the listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton on July 16, which came after back-to-back wins at Rosehill, the first in Midway company then another in benchmark 78 grade. Those came after four consecutive seconds at Saturday and midweek city level in her previous campaign. With Alysha Collett aboard again, Lady Extreme returns to Rosehill on Saturday for the fourth race, a 1400m benchmark 78 for fillies and mares, after Ryan considered the open benchmark 78. Ryan hopes a likely heavy track will favour the $8 Sportsbet hope, and also scare off odds-on favourite Tuileries. 'She's won on heavy tracks and won on good tracks; she's pretty bulletproof in a lot of ways,' Ryan said. 'If there's speed in the race, she can come from back in the field. If they don't go quick, she was up running fourth, second up the other day. 'Wet tracks, dry tracks, she makes my job pretty easy by being versatile and honest.' The daughter of Extreme Choice, Lady Extreme has won $270,000 since coming to Ryan as an unraced $27,500 online buy for FED Bloodstock's Luke Wilkinson. She originally went for $250,000 as a Magic Millions yearling. Ryan had a first crack at black type racing with Lady Extreme in the Ramornie and was pleased with the effort.
Sydney Morning Herald
26-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Travolta caps big day out for Collett and Waller on final Saturday
Travolta stormed down the outside fence to win the last at Randwick and cap a satisfying finish to Saturday racing for jockey Jason Collett and premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller. The $10 Sportsbet chance held off stablemate Pure Alpha by just over a length to win the 1800m benchmark 78 handicap for colts, gelding and entires, giving Collett four victories on the card and Waller a double. Collett went to outright second on the Sydney jockeys' premiership on 71, four ahead of Zac Lloyd (67), with one midweek meeting remaining in the season. James McDonald (83) has wrapped up a seventh consecutive title. Collett, who claimed a first Doncaster Mile on Stefi Magnetica this season, also won on Nashville Jack, Regimental Colours and Oh Diamond Lil on Saturday. 'The Donnie was great, I think I've had just under 20 stakes winners, and I'm really proud of the season I've had,' Collett said. 'I've got to sit on some great horses and it just keeps building nicely. I love what I do and I'm fortunate I have a job I enjoy.' Waller earlier won with Cigar Flick ($12), which swooped down the outside from near-last under Tommy Berry to take out the benchmark 88 handicap (1100m) by just over a length from World Alliance. 'She's a frustrating horse, but she tries her hardest,' Waller said. 'She's going well, but she's reached her level, so it's not easy to win. She needs everything to flow, she needs to come into the race at the right, the right track conditions, and today it was.'
