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By Ray Hickson

The grand final might be almost two months away but Ellbserg’s co-trainer Gerald Ryan said the talented five-year-old has had the right preparation to keep his enviable first-up record intact at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Gerald Ryan (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Four from four is the entire's stats when Ryan, and co-trainer Sterling Alexiou, has produced him off a break and he feels the Group 2 $250,000 Fujitsu General Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) shapes as a chance to make it five.

And five is a number Ellsberg is going to see a lot of this spring – the five-year-old is being aimed at the inaugural $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) on November 5.

“He’s usually trained to go very well first-up, he very rarely goes into a race first-up needing a run,’’ Ryan said.

“That’s why he dips second-up and comes back third-up.

“His two trials have been nice and solid, Tim Clark has ridden him more than anybody else and he’s thought the trials were good.”

Chad Schofield has the ride on Saturday with Clark interstate.

Last campaign Ellsberg, $3.80 with TAB on Thursday, won the Liverpool City Cup first-up over 1300m and recorded placings in the Ajax Stakes and Group 1 All Aged Stakes with his only unplaced efforts in the Doncaster and the Kingsford-Smith Cup.

Ryan expects Schofield to make use of a handy barrier and put himself in the firing line early with the knowledge he’s unlikely to need to press for the front.

“He should travel in the first three, Prime Candidate will probably lead and he’ll either be second or third,’’ he said.

“He goes well at Rosehill, he goes well first-up, 1300m he has a good record at so it is a nice race for him.”

The spring plan for Ellsberg takes in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) on September 24 then the $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m) on TAB Everest Day and into the Five Diamonds three weeks later.

“The Five Diamonds is restricted a little bit being for five-year-olds and he’s probably not right up to the Group 1 level but he’s a good honest consistent horse,’’ Ryan said.

A wide barrier isn’t going to stop Williamsburg from taking his place alongside stablemate Brosnan in the Group 3 $200,000 Schweppes Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m).

Ryan said it’s an important race for Williamsburg to progress towards his spring goal next month and for Brosnan to put himself in the Golden Rose picture.

“The barrier makes no difference to him because he goes back,’’ Ryan said of Williamsburg.

“If he didn’t run here he’d have to go five weeks between runs which isn’t ideal when you’re getting them ready for the Spring Champion. He’ll go back and hit the line well.”

Williamsburg was placed behind She’s Extreme and Fireburn in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes before a spell and will be fitter for his first-up run in the Up & Coming Stakes two weeks ago.

Brosnan also took on a Group 1 assignment before his break, running third in the JJ Atkins back in June, and Ryan said he’ll only have three starts this spring likely culminating in the Caulfield Guineas.

“He’s bigger and stronger and going well. He had three weeks off, three weeks pre-training up there and came back from Queensland 50kg heavier than what he went up there,’’ he said.

Ellsberg runs third in a Canterbury trial on September 1

“He had a super first preparation, he went from Sydney to Melbourne back to Sydney and back to Melbourne and up to Brisbane and he hasn’t turned a hair.”

Sky Command faces a challenge against boom mares Espiona and Shades Of Rose in the Group 2 $250,000 Irresistible Pools Sheraco Stakes (1200m) but Ryan says her first-up run warranted taking it on.

She ran a handy third after racing handy behind Zapateo and Jamaea in the Group 3 Toy Show.

“She ran really well first-up, this is a bit tougher. She’s had three weeks between runs and likes to be fresh, the sting out of the ground doesn’t worry her,’’ he said.

“She’s drawn well and is going to get a good run in the race so she can run well.”

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