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By Ray Hickson

Hong Kong’s loss is trainer Scott Singleton and the owners of Ritzsun’s gain as the lightly raced three-year-old looks to enhance his record in the TAB Highway (1100m) at Wyong on Saturday.

Trainer Scott Singleton (Pic: Bradley Photos)

It was always Singleton’s intention to sell the gelding but a combination of some unimpressive looking trials and a small vet issue, which the buyers initially weren’t concerned about, saw the sale fall through twice and Ritzsun remained in Scone.

Singleton said once Ritzsun won on debut the initial interest returned but the sale didn't proceed and the prospective buyers came back again after his second win before ultimately electing to pass.

“He’s quiet, does what he has to at home. He didn’t show us the world, we only had him as a trade horse to try and sell to Hong Kong,’’ he said

“You wouldn’t have thought he was a nice horse in his work or anything but he tries hard, turns up to the races and wants to be a racehorse.

“At the trials he made hard work of it but on race day he was a different horse and they came around again.

“He was to be sold after the first win, it fell over, then again after the second win and it fell over again so we gave him a little break and brought him back and I dare say he’s come back a little older and a bit better.”

Ritzsun, $3 with TAB on Thursday, returned from that short break, he was inoculated to go to Hong Kong so Singleton wanted to pause the preparation, with an eye-catching second at Wyong at the New Year’s Eve program.

It was a deliberate move by Singleton to resume in that race, over 1000m won by Welcome Gypsy, with Saturday’s Highway in mind and he feels the experience has been beneficial.

“That was part of the point, I thought it was a nice race to resume in and he has a look around the track before this Saturday,’’ he said.

“It was a little unfortunate the other day, he just fluffed the start a little bit and Christian (Reith) said he didn’t want to drive him mad once he did that. He let him come back and he hit the line really well, it’s just hard to give them that start around Wyong at 1000m.

“He’s definitely a horse that’s good enough to be winning a Highway.”

Ritzsun led all the way to his first two wins and Singleton said while it’s good to know he can be effective from off the speed he’d suggest he’ll be closer to first than last when they settle.

“He’s generally got good speed so I’d say that was just a one off. I’d be expecting him to jump a lot better,’’ he said.

“We hadn’t had him in that situation before but Christian said he was good and found the line well. I’m extremely happy with the run and the way he’s come on from it. I’m quietly confident if he gets any luck there he’ll be hard enough to beat.

“He doesn’t have too many negatives about him, he’s fairly well bombproof so he won’t be there looking for excuses.”

Singleton agonised over which race consistent mare Dollar Magic would contest at Wyong and settled on his initial preference of the Wyong Equine Clinic Handicap (1100m).

The six-year-old returns to fillies and mares company after a game fourth in the Listed Canterbury Sprint (1100m) on New Year’s Day where she was trapped wide, despite jockey Reece Jones’ best efforts, from barrier four.

“She drew a good barrier and Reece said the only ones with speed have drawn inside and it could be tricky,’’ he said.

Ritzsun runs second at Wyong on December 31

“She got caught three deep the entire on a turning track like Canterbury, it’s not easy to run well in that circumstance.

“If she had a little bit more luck in that race she finishes closer to them. I feel like she’s ready to win, I don’t think she has been going better.”

Nobody would begrudge Dollar Magic a win, she’s recorded four of them but 12 second placings and a couple of thirds from 23 starts.

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