Ryan knows first-up specialist Ellsberg is ready to make his mark

Ellsberg takes a perfect first-up record in the Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill, and trainer Gerald Ryan hasn’t changed the winning formula.

Being smart fresh is usually associated with sprint trips between 1000m and 1200m, but Ellsberg has never started at less than the 1300m of Saturday’s group 2 by design.

“He is not a real sprinter, this horse; he can hold his speed, and that’s why we have always started at 1300 or 1400,” Ryan said. “It just works for him because he doesn’t get run off his legs and is so strong.

“I know he has led in the past, but this race looks a good set-up for him with Prime Candidate and Mr Mozart likely to push forward, and he will get a good spot.

“They will need to be on their game to hold him out.”

Ellsberg’s four wins first up have all been against good company. He beat Selburose and Easifer on his debut, then had the measure of Private Eye in the South Pacific Classic to start his second campaign.

Another win over 1400m started his third racing preparation before taking the Liverpool City Cup in dominant fashion in the autumn in a preparation that included a third in the group 1 All Aged Stakes.

“That’s him – you have him ready to go when he gets back to the races and he does the rest,” Ryan said. “It is a good place for him to start on the weekend, and we will probably look towards the Five Diamonds with him.

“I think he can stretch out to the longer trip of 1800m as a five-year-old, but he is sharp enough to run his usual race first up. We are pretty happy with him.”