By Craig Kerry
Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan has kept fast finisher Just Party fresh for the Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday as he kicks off a preparation aimed at an overdue win at stakes level.
The Justify colt has won just once in eight starts – at Wyong 11 months ago – but has threatened several times since to land a big prize.
Jay Ford and Just Party (inside) almost pinch victory from Anode and Tim Clark (red).Credit: Getty Images
The three-year-old came from well back in the field to just miss when second in the $500,000 Tapp-Craig (1400m) and $1 million Callander-Presnell (1600m) in the spring before going for a break.
Before those thrilling finishes, he was less than a length away fourth in the Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m), then a luckless fourth in the Dulcify Stakes (1600m).
Just Party showed his sharp turn of foot to win a 900m trial at home on January 23 in preparation for Saturday’s group 3 sprint for three-year-olds, which was down to nine runners on Friday.
Ryan, who trains in partnership with Sterling Alexiou, was happy with Just Party’s return but concerned he may have too much ground to make up in the 1200m race, where the $14 Sportsbet chance has gate one and Jay Ford aboard.
“This week, the gate, where he is going to get to in the run is probably a bit difficult because he will get back off them a bit,” said Ryan, who won the race with Peltzer in 2021 and Spill The Beans in 2016.
“But he’s going well and he’s come up good, and we’ve got to start off somewhere. He’ll get better when he gets out another step further, but I still expect him to run pretty well on Saturday.”
Ryan was looking to the mile of the group 1 Randwick Guineas a month later as a target for Just Party.
“He got a bit of fitness, he travelled good and finished off all right,” Ryan said Just Party’s trial. “And he’s trained on well since. He’s just had the one trial, a jump out and a couple of nice gallops. I didn’t want to trial him too much because 1200 is a tad short for him, and he’s fit enough. If you keep trialling him, he’s going to be looking for further.”
Gatsby’s ($3.10), Public Attention ($4.40), Linebacker ($4.60), Mayfair ($5.50) and Snow In May ($7.50), which are all resuming, were the leading chances for the Eskimo Prince.
John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Snow In May and Linebacker have drawn well in three and four.
“Hopefully they haven’t used up their barrier luck for when we really want it,” Charlton said. “But they should fall into a good position from the gates. Both will appreciate getting over further, but they have been sharp enough in their trials to be competitive on Saturday, with improvement to come.”
In the $2 million Inglis Millennium, O’Shea and Charlton have Artistic Venture ($34) from gate nine. The filly was fourth behind Within The Law in the Inglis Nursery at her only start.
“It’s a perfect barrier for her,” Charlton said. “She raced well on debut and should be still improving. She’s got a bit to find on the best form in the race, but it’s not out of the realms of possibility.”
Also in the Millennium, Ryan and Alexiou have Sanctified ($61), which was a distant third to Golden Slipper favourite Wodeton at his only start.
“I would have expected a little bit more first up,” Ryan said. “He was a little bit green and he wanted to shift away from horses, but he was OK and he’s come on from it.”
