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By John Curtis

Blake Ryan says it’s hotpot Able Yellow’s ($1.50 favourite on TAB) race to lose at home tomorrow.

But the Hawkesbury trainer says he isn’t going there thinking the lightly-raced four-year-old is unbeatable in the Great Northern 4YO & Up Maiden Plate (1500m).

The gelded son of Justify is the fourth foal of the dual Group 1 winner Srikandi (2015 Stradbroke Handicap and Tattersall’s Tiara), who won nine of her 15 races.

Able Yellow (Jay Ford) parades at Hawkesbury. Image by Bradley Photographers

Ryan has had Able Yellow for both his career starts this preparation, and is stepping him up in distance after placings at Hawkesbury over 1100m on February 12 and Goulburn over 1200m 16 days later.

He withdrew the gelding from a Provincial Maiden Plate (1400m) at last Friday’s Kembla Grange Classic meeting to focus on his home race.

“The track was heavy at Kembla Grange the day before the meeting, and I knew what we were going to get at home,” Ryan said this morning.

“It looks the right race for him, and it’s his to lose. But I feel his price is more reflective of the opposition.

“He is still learning and has done a few things wrong so far as I expected he would.

“I’m sure he has a couple of races in him, but I’m definitely not going there tomorrow thinking he is unbeatable.”

Jay Ford, who along with Jean Van Overmeire is Ryan’s most successful jockey, is back on Able Yellow at Hawkesbury.

He partnered the gelding in his debut third to Our Little Star and subsequent impressive Hawkesbury winner Veravino in a 4YO & Up Maiden Handicap (1100m) at Hawkesbury on February 12. Rather unusually, all Able Yellow’s seven opponents also are trained at Hawkesbury.

Mitchell and Desiree Kearney have Jacob’s Well ($41), Romance The Stone ($61) and Share The Joy ($4.60), Tara and Phillippe Vigouroux have Legris ($12) and Awesome Icon ($21), Claire Lever has Lucky Star ($6), and Michael Vella has Belgrano ($12).

Ryan also takes another lightly-raced son of Justify, three-year-old Just Chill ($34), to the races for the Jacobs Creek Maiden Plate (1800m).

As with his stablemate, Just Chill is lining up for his third start and also has Ford in the saddle – but is at lengthy odds, facing another hotpot (Polymnia, $1.40 fav).

“Barlaine Racing sent Just Chill to me at the same time as He’s In Like Flynn (with whom Ryan won a Provincial Maiden Plate, 1000m at Wyong last July on debut before being exported to Hong Kong, where he now races as Crimson Flash), but has taken a lot longer,” Ryan said.

“Just Chill ran fourth in a 1400m Maiden Plate at Goulburn last Tuesday, and at this stage has shown no signs that he won’t back up tomorrow.

“Provided he does, I think he can run a race getting up over more ground. Eventually I feel he will manage 2000m.”

Hawkesbury jockeys’ premiership front-runner Zac Lloyd rides Dundeel three-year-old filly Polymnia for trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton.

Polymnia certainly goes into the race with superior form, having been runner-up at her last three Sydney starts along with a close fourth in the Group 2 Fillies’ Classic (1600m) at The Valley last October in between.

She was also an odds-on favourite when narrowly beaten by Majorca Sunset in a Super Maiden (1600m) at Warwick Farm on March 5. Lloyd has ridden 13 winners so far at Hawkesbury this season, five more than Jay Ford.

Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup and Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald share the trainers’ premiership lead with nine wins apiece.

The rail is out 4m from the 1100m to 450m and in the TRUE position for the remainder of the circuit. A Soft 5 rating was posted at 8am today, with a penetrometer reading of 5.26.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Hawkesbury here