Ryan colt aiming to Standout in Expressway
Listed-winning son of Exceed And Excel out to bolster fine record of three-year-old sprinters this season
Corumbene Stud home-bred Standout (Exceed And Excel) will try to become the fourth three-year-old to defy the older horses in a major all-comers sprint this season when he lines-up in today’s Expressway Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick.
Gerald Ryan has been guarded in his assessment of the Exceed And Excel (Danehill) colt’s prospects in the lead-up to the race, but there is much to support the argument, at least speculatively at the odds available (currently $5.50 with the TAB), that he could get the better of his ostensibly more fancied older rivals.
The three-year-old sprinting competitiveness, if not superiority, was established early in the season when Dalasan (Dalakhani) – who resumes in today’s Manfred Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Caulfield – defeated subsequent Group 1 winner Scales Of Justice (Not A Single Doubt) in August’s Spring Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), run almost two months shy of his third birthday.
Of course, the trend continued with Yes Yes Yes (Rubick) winning the $14 million The Everest (1200m) before Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible) claimed the Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) six days later.
The case for three-year-olds in the Expressway is also stronger than a cursory look might reveal.
Ryan himself won the race in 2018 with then three-year-old Trapeze Artist (Snitzel), who became the first of the Classic generation to land the contest since Happy Galaxy (Nadeem) in 2013. However, only two more three-year-olds have contested the race in the subsequent seven years.
Later in that autumn campaign, Trapeze Artist reverted to sprinting and won the TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and All-Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) having been tried over a mile in the Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), running third of 14 against his own age group.
Ryan believes Standout is a ‘good horse’ but has spoken of his inexperience, with the colt having made only four starts for three wins.
However, 1998 winner Hockney (Quest For Fame) was just a five-time starter when landing the spoils at three, while Mentality (Flying Spur) and the champion Saintly (Sky Chase) complete the list of three-year-old winners in the past 30 years.
Standout has trialled well in preparation for his return having last been seen finishing second to Cosmic Force (Deep Field) in the Roman Consul Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), run over the same course and distance on October 12.
“It is just a question of whether he’s up to weight-for-age level at only fifth start in a race,” Ryan said.
“He’s trialled well and come through the two trials really well. I’m hopeful he’ll be up to it.”
Standout faces nine rivals this afternoon, three of whom were late entries when the nominations were extended. The eleventh-hour participants are second–favourite Kolding (Ocean Park), Kiamichi (Sidestep) and Vegadaze (Lope De Vega).
The Expressway winner was first-up in five years straight before last year’s heroine Alizee (Sepoy), who returns to defend her crown today, won the Christmas Classic (Listed, 1200m) prior to taking out the Randwick feature.
This year’s Christmas Classic runner-up, Glenall (Redoute’s Choice), is prepared by Team Hawkes, who have won this race five times (three in John’s name only). The Bjorn Baker–trained Irithea (Snitzel) is the only other a starter with a recent run behind her, finishing second at the Gold coast last month.
James Cummings, who is doubly-represented courtesy of Alizee and Kiamichi, expects last year’s winner to be highly competitive again, although he told Sky Sports Radio that Standout and Kolding were the dangers.
“She’s always fresh and she’ll be bouncing out of her skin,” Cummings said of Alizee.
“And she’ll be very competitive against those horses, but I have a healthy respect for George Altamonte’s three-year-old (Standout) and Kolding.
“I’m full of admiration for what he did last spring. Since he’s been gelded he’s been close enough to unbeatable. If they line up she’ll have a good fight on her hands, but she’ll be right in it.”
Cummings said Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Kiamichi may be reserved for next Saturday’s Eskimo Prince Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) given her liking for soft ground and the unsettled forecast.
Rain and wild weather is predicted to hit Caulfield today where Dalasan resumes his spring rivalries with the Anthony Freedman–trained duo of Super Seth (Dundeel) and Groundswell (Fastnet Rock) in the Manfred Stakes, while the Team Hawkes-trained Spend (Snitzel), who made a successful debut at Rosehill in July, adds another dimension to the race.
Leon Macdonald believes Dalasan is ready to maintain his unbeaten record fresh, while Anthony Freedman’s assistant trainer and son, Sam, suggests Groundswell might have a slight edge on his Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m)-winning stablemate Super Seth.
“He’s undefeated first-up,” Macdonald said of Dalasan.
“He did beat Scales Of Justice in the Spring Stakes, so I suppose that makes the form stack up a bit, doesn’t it?
“He’s in good order and has done everything asked of him and I’m confident he’ll run well.”
Sam Freedman said of his duo: “They’ve come back really well. Obviously they’re both first-up off two nice trials.
“With Groundswell, we’re on a different tack. We’ve taken the blinkers off and we will ride him quiet. We think we might see a really good turn of foot from him.”
Regarding Super Seth, Freedman added: “We’ll probably ride him quiet as well, but in the small field he won’t be too far off them and then the last furlong he’ll be strong.
“I’d be surprised if he’s not the fastest in the field late, but I’d lean to Groundswell just as at the 1200 (metres) he might have a little bit more zip.”
The Caulfield card also features the Chairman’s Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) for two-year-olds.
The Caulfield–trained trio of Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) (2016), Road To Success (Dolphin Street) (2000) and Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) (1999) are the only three horses to have landed the Group 3 prior to taking out the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m).
Ideas Man (Brazen Beau) and Rock Of Kryptonite (Fastnet Rock) are the two Caulfield-trained colts in this year’s edition and both have generated plenty of media attention in the lead-up to today’s race.
Ciaron Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, spoke enthusiastically of Ideas Man, who made a winning debut when taking out the Inglis Banner (RL, 1000m) at Moonee Valley in October.
“He had a nice break and he’s trialled up well. I think he has improved,” Maher said.
“He’s come on as a racehorse, he’s a bit sharper. He’s drawn well (3) to get a nice run, right on speed, and he’ll be hard to beat.”
Michael Kent jnr, who trains in partnership with Mick Price, was similarly upbeat about Rock Of Kryptonite, who was on edge in the preliminaries prior to running seventh of nine first-up in the Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at Caulfield.
“He’s had two jumpouts and won both. I think a lot of him. Ideas Man looks hard to beat but this is a good horse,” Kent jnr said.
“He’s by Fastnet Rock and it would be fantastic to win this race and get into the Blue Diamond.”
Kent said both Damien Oliver and Ben Melham had worked the horse. While both jockeys were keen to ride the colt today, Price gave Melham the nod earlier in the week.