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By Ray Hickson

It was hard not to be taken by High Blue Sea’s comeback win earlier this month and co-trainer Gerald Ryan wouldn’t be surprised if a repeat is on the cards at Randwick on Saturday.

But he has a small word of warning as the lightly raced four-year-old approaches the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1400m) just two weeks after winning off a 13 month absence.

Ryan said High Blue Sea, who is unbeaten in the blinkers, had a good level of fitness going into his first-up win and may not have a significant amount up his sleeve.

“It was a good win first-up,’’ Ryan said.

“I always say when a horse wins like that first-up they’re pretty fit, there’s not a lot of improvement to go anywhere.

“He had a long slow build up and two trials so he was pretty forward but he certainly hasn’t gone backwards.”

The gelding settled last when he returned at 1300m at Rosehill but he led all the way to his two previous wins so there’s scope for him to make some use of a kinder barrier.

Ryan, who co-trains with Sterling Alexiou, said it was planned for High Blue Sea, $3.50 with TAB on Friday, to head to Hong Kong last year but an issue was discovered and that started a saga that meant he couldn’t go and had a long layoff.

High Blue Sea wins at Rosehill on January 13

“After he won those two races he was vetted to go to Hong Kong because he’s owned there but when he was scanned he had a small chip in a knee and small chip in a joint,’’ Ryan said.

“When he came back in he was almost ready to trial and went sore in front and had a small hairline fracture in a bone in the shoulder.

“He had to have time off and that’s why he had an extended spell. He’s only had the five starts and he’s won his last three in a row so he’s done a pretty good job.”

Union Army will be out to back up his impressive win from two weeks ago in the Precise Air Handicap (1200m) though Ryan said if he does take his place, being a backmarker, he will again need the breaks.

The gelding was beaten at Randwick second-up off a wide gate and Ryan is wary of the rail being out.

“Things were run to suit the other day, Kerrin (McEvoy) gave him a good ride and he was strong late,’’ he said.

“He’s drawn a bit awkwardly because of his racing pattern. There’s always the following Saturday if he doesn’t go around.”

Ryan said Deficit will take his place in Friday’s Listed Australia Day Cup (2400m) at Warwick Farm in preference to his Randwick engagement where a wide gate would force him to be ridden negatively.

Meanwhile, two-year-old Commanding Artist has gone for a freshen up after his strong win in Brisbane recently and will be aimed at the Queensland winter carnival.

“He’ll have a couple of weeks up and we will see if he can measure up in the winter up there,’’ Ryan said.

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