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By Ray Hickson

Reigning Big Dance winner Attractable has his confidence back after coming off second best in a battle with Pride Of Jenni and trainer Sara Ryan hopes he can return to his best at Hawkesbury on Saturday.

Trainer Sara Ryan (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The five-year-old missed the Doncaster Mile so he hasn’t raced since giving up the chase and being beaten 17 lengths by the Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner in the All Star Mile in mid-March.

Ryan elected to scratch from the Doncaster due to the heavy conditions, which she concedes wound up not as bad as she first thought, and she sent Attractable back to the trials just over a week ago to let him feel good about himself.

“He’s got his confidence back, Jenni did knock that around a bit as she can do,’’ Ryan said.

“He’s a horse that loves to be free rolling in front, he likes to have one horse in front of him but he doesn’t like when they’re too far away.

“He just kind of gave up. I could see the expression on his face, he was like ‘I can’t do it any more’.”

The Group 3 $250,000 Richmond Club Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) carries Big Dance eligibility for the first time so naturally Ryan wouldn’t mind ticking that off the list early to give him the chance to defend his crown.

Attractable, $15 with TAB on Wednesday, warmed up for the race by winning a 1200m Wyong trial by eight lengths on April 23.

“He needed a good hit out, it’s been quite a few weeks between runs now and he’s been caking on the weight slowly but surely,’’ Ryan said.

“He trialled up really well. We’ve done some confidence work at home and that trial showed me he’s back on track.”

Ryan is pleased to have finally been able to give Always Sure some continuity after a stop-start career to date and is expecting the Midway Handicap (1500m) to be the best run of his campaign.

The gelding has had five trainers in his 21 starts to date.

His two runs since returning from a heel injury that kept him off the scene for 12 months have been eye-catching including a closing third in a 1400m Midway at Randwick two weeks ago.

“He’s been passed around from trainer to trainer and in doing that he’s not had a proper prep,’’ Ryan said.

“I’ve always loved him as a young horse he was quite exciting and when Clare (Collett) had that initial go with him and he had a proper prep you saw him go well.

“This is the first time with me we’ve had that proper prep and we haven’t had any issues with him. He is primed and ready to go.”

Attractable wins a Wyong trial on April 23

Sara Ryan on Humanity (Race 4): “I do think he’s going to need a trip, he’s quite dour. We need a starting point to learn a bit about him, I think we’ll see the best of him next prep. He’s doing everything right at home."

On Much Much Better (Race 5): “I’m hoping if it does end up being wet it will be to his benefit then it ends up being more like a 1200m race. He seems to have come back in good order and is ready to go.”

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