Ryan questions call to scrap Missile Stakes after Randwick washout

The Age

09-08-2025

Ryan had race favourite General Salute in the Missile Stakes and said he would have run him in the sprint if it was pushed back to Wednesday's Kensington program.
However, he said General Salute would not race in the boosted events on next Saturday's Rosehill card and would instead avoid a seven-day back-up and be saved for the group 3 Show County Quality on August 23 at Randwick.
'They changed the Premier's Cup Prelude to Wednesday, why couldn't they do that with the Missile?' Ryan said.
'He was going to run today then the Show County. If they had moved the race to Wednesday at Kensington, I would have run him and then gone to the Show County. A 10-day back-up wouldn't have worried me.'
Wet weather looks set to also change his plans for three-year-old Grand Eagle, which was to trial on Monday at Rosehill then resume nine days later at Warwick Farm. Ryan, though, expected the trials, which also feature Everest second-elect Private Harry, to be moved to Friday.
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'If the trials are pushed back to Friday, I'm not going to trial him Friday and race him Wednesday,' he said.
'We'll have to play that one by ear.
'King Of Pop will trial no matter what because he is going to run in the San Domenico [August 30], so a trial on Friday probably suits better, 15 days into the race.'
Grand Eagle's immediate target race is the group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality Handicap at Rosehill on September 13.
He said Canonbury Stakes winner Blitzburg and potentially Pago Pago Stakes victor Skyhook would resume in next Saturday's listed Rosebud at Rosehill.
'If they had moved the Missile to next Saturday, I was tossing around putting Skyhook into the Missile because he would have carried 52.5, and he will get a heap of weight in the Rosebud,' Ryan said.
The Randwick postponement came a week after participants battled through a wet day at Rosehill to complete the 10-race city card on a heavy 10 surface.
It also came a day after Racing NSW announced the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) for four-year-olds would be moved from Rosehill to Randwick.
The race, set down for November 1, had been at Rosehill since it was first held in 2019. The move is designed to attract bigger crowds, better hospitality offerings and open the door to more sponsorship opportunities.
Meetings at Casino and Louth were also washed out on Saturday, although the provincial card at Newcastle went ahead on a heavy 10 track.
Smart filly on track for Silver Shadow
Victorian trainer Shane Nichols was eyeing the group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick on August 23 with Esha after her dominant win at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Esha, a daughter of Extreme Choice, cruised to a 3½-length victory under Damian Lane in the 1000m race for three-year-olds.
It followed a similar win at Morphettville in May at her only start as a two-year-old.
'It was a nice gallop and she will come on from that and hopefully, we are setting up for a nice spring,' Nichols said.
'We'll go stakes racing now and potentially she could go to the Silver Shadow in Sydney in two weeks, 1200m, but we'll just look at her first.
'It's a long spring ahead and there's a lot of opportunities for a three-year-old filly that's sharp.'
Baker finds key for Darby
The addition of a tongue tie helped Darby Racing's Crown The King break through in his second run for Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker on Saturday at Newcastle.
Crown The King, which raced in good company in four winless runs for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, was third at Gosford in his debut Baker before cruising to a 2½-length win in heavy conditions at Newcastle in a 1250m colts, geldings and entires maiden.
Gosford trainer Adam Duggan had a double at the meeting with Erina and Divine Bene, while Hawkesbury trainer Mick Attard had a drought-breaking win with Damascus Calling.
The Brutal four-year-old won a 1400m maiden to give Attard his first victory since a Midway Handicap Saturday success in town in April last year with Putt For Dough.