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By Ray Hickson

If you want to look for holes in Ellsberg’s form then co-trainer Sterling Alexiou says zeroing in on his second-up record could be a bit misleading.

Trainer Sterling Alexiou (Pic: Grant Guy)

Sure, the raging $1.75 favourite for Saturday’s Group 2 $200,000 Hyland Race Colours Ajax Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill has an unbeaten first-up record and is yet to win in three attempts when second-up but it might not be as simple as that.

After winning on debut, Ellsberg was beaten half a length at his second race start. Next preparation he was beaten 1.4 lengths in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas while last time in he was badly inconvenienced on the home turn in the Silver Eagle and went down narrowly.

Alexiou said he only accepts one of those second-up runs as a disappointing performance and sees no reason why the Doncaster Mile bound four-year-old can’t win again.

“He hasn’t been beaten far second-up albeit it he hasn’t won,’’ he said.

“All in all, he’s missed the top three twice so it’s hard to poke holes in his form. The Hawkesbury Guineas was genuine, he was cranked right up to win first-up and took a backward step.”

Unlike in the spring, Ellsberg is stepping up in distance for his second-up run and he couldn’t have had an easier time of it at Randwick first-up as he cruised away with the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m).

While he rises to 59kg in the Ajax, a race that carries exemption into the $3m Doncaster Mile on April 2 where he has 51kg, and meets runner-up Brutality 2.5kg worse off Alexiou said the race appears to set up nicely again.

“On paper it was too good to be true first-up and it nearly looks that way again,’’ he said.

“That’s always in the back of your mind, often they don’t pan out that way. He’s really trained on at home, he has to carry a bit more weight but it looks the ideal race for him.

“He’s an exciting horse and going into the race in good form.”

Most expect Ellsberg to lead again and to that end Alexiou said drawing the outside at the 1500m start will allow jockey Tim Clark to play to the horse’s strengths.

“He jumps away well and likes to build momentum, I think that’s why Tim suits him quite well,’’ he said.

In the two-year-old department, Alexiou said he and co-trainer Gerald Ryan have good opinions of both Williamsburg and Antoine.

Williamsburg is coming back in trip after winning over 1300m at Newcastle at his second start and while he’s still in the Golden Slipper it could well be the Group 1 Inglis’ Sires (1400m) that is his immediate target after the Group 3 $175,000 Bowermans Pago Pago Stakes (1200m).

“If he’d have drawn better he could have settled midfield,’’ he said.

“He’s going well, he’ll run here then all being well he’ll probably go to the Sires.

Ellsberg wins at Randwick on February 26

“He’s a horse that is going to be better next time around but he’s hard to fault at home and he’s going to strong at the end of seven and eight furlongs. The wet track will be right up his alley.”

Antoine chased home stablemate Psychiatrist when she had her second start at Canterbury on February 18 but Alexiou said it’s impossible to get a wet track guide on her for the Group 3 $175,000 Cellarbrations Magic Night Stakes (1200m).

“We’ve been without grass tracks the last 10 days so she hasn’t been afforded a good hitout on a heavy track so we go there not going,’’ he said.

“She’s been the top of the tree for our fillies and if a few things went right for her she wouldn’t have been too far away from Psychiatrist. We’re going there hopeful more than confident but she has plenty of ability.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting