By Ray Hickson
There’s been a noticeable difference in talented galloper Green Shadows' attitude since his summer spell and co-trainer Gerald Ryan suspects he can continue to repair his reputation with punters at Rosehill on Saturday.
The four-year-old burst onto the scene winning his first two starts and was tried in the top company when he was a colt but it took almost two years, and a string of seconds, before he notched his third career win to start this preparation.
Ryan said a race like the $500,000 The Coast at Gosford in two weeks could come onto the radar if the gelding consolidates on his strong first-up win in the Phillip Picone Handicap (1500m).
“We just spelled him, put him in the paddock for three months and let him be a horse,’’ Ryan said.
“Right from when he came back his attitude was different, he's better in the brain and more mature.
“If he’s as good on Saturday as he was first-up we might think about running him at Gosford, or we keep going through this type of race and get some money in the bank.”
Green Shadows, $5.00 with TAB on Thursday, came from last when he resumed in a 1400m event at Warwick Farm on April 1, though not by design, and Ryan said he hasn’t gone backwards in the few weeks since.
“I thought on his trials he would have travelled a bit closer but he missed the start and got back,’’ he said.
“Josh (Parr), knowing him, just rode him that bit quiet and let him hit the line and he was really good.
“I just want to see him run well. If you can run on he’s up to it. You’ve only got to look at some of the races we ran him in, we always had a good opinion of him.”
Let’s Try has had no trouble collecting wins as he’s worked through the grades in his nine starts to date and Ryan, who co-trains with Sterling Alexiou, said there’s no reason he can’t back-up his fresh win from Newcastle.
The gelding has won three of his last four and steps into a city race for the first time in the Hot Rod & Custom Show Handicap (1200m) with jockey Brandon Lerena continuing his association.
“He was a bit wayward in his first preparation but we gave him a good spell and he came back and was terrific then he was really good first-up again,’’ he said.
“He ran good sectionals. He’s a big strong horse who will put himself in the first three and be strong.”
A class drop could be in Eagle Nest’s favour as she searches for a return to form in the Farewell James Ross Sprint (1100m).
The Rosehill trainer said it’s up to the four-year-old to find her best having not measured up in Group 3 company in the Wenona Girl and Birthday Card in March.
“She wasn’t quite up to those races,’’ Ryan said.
Green Shadows wins at Warwick Farm on April 1
“She’s going well but I just want to see her find a bit of form again.”
The Hawkesbury Cup is likely off the agenda for Grebeni after he missed his planned resumption when the last two races were called off at Randwick last weekend.
He trialled at Rosehill on Tuesday, pleasing Ryan, and kicks off from a wide gate in the Vale Lonhro Handicap (1500m) before heading to either The Coast or the Scone Cup next month.
All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting