Tag Archive for: John Ryan

La Bellota digs deep for Prospect prize

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John Ryan’s La Bellota saw off the might of Wathnan Racing and Coolmore to win the William Hill Prospect Stakes at Doncaster.

Ryan is down to a string of just 10 horses these days but La Bellota had already finished second in the Mill Reef and run in the Prix de l’Abbaye this season.

The Newmarket handler was forced to draw stumps halfway through the season due to the ill health of his string but they are ending the campaign in top form.

Fourth in the Cornwallis Stakes two weeks ago, Oisin Murphy set a searching gallop on the 13-2 shot, despite the testing conditions.

Anything that did not race down the centre of the track seemed beaten at halfway but Wathnan’s Diego Ventura and Aidan O’Brien’s Bounty were giving chase.

La Bellota provided John Ryan with a welcome Listed winner
La Bellota provided John Ryan with a welcome Listed winner (Mike Egerton/PA)

Having only his second run over six furlongs, his other being the Mill Reef, La Bellota saw it out well to hold Diego Ventura by a neck.

“He’s been a busy horse but unfortunately for him, he keeps trying so we’ve got to keep going,” said Ryan.

“We were probably unlucky going to France, he missed the break and in a race such as that, you are not going to get away with it.

“He didn’t run too badly last time at Newmarket when he got caught in the middle and I knew there was a decent race in him. It’s good for the owner who has been a great supporter of me.”

He went on: “I don’t think I took a breath in the last half a furlong but Oisin said he broke well and in that ground he didn’t want to take a pull on him and disappoint him.

“He’s so game. We put blinkers on today to help him concentrate as despite all his runs, he’s still very green.

“It’s nice for a small yard to have a good horse to carry us through, we’re down to 10 horses now, we need horses like this.

“Hopefully Manaccan will be back in the new year, he’s back in full training now so it’s exciting for next year.

“We had a problem in the yard in the beginning of the year, a lot were sick so we had to lay off them but a bit of time cures most things.”



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Naina continues on upward curve with nursery win

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John Ryan is contemplating trying to get a bit of black type with Naina, who won for the fourth time in five outings in the British Stallion Studs EBF ‘Jersey Lily’ Fillies’ Nursery Handicap at Newmarket.

Since winning a Brighton maiden in early July, she has thrived and the 6-1 shot arrived late under Christian Howarth before running out a length and three-quarters winner.

“She’s a home bred, a first foal out of a mare that I trained which never got to the racecourse, but the owner stuck with her,” said Ryan.

“When she came out, she was so small we couldn’t send her to the sales, so we trained her and she just kept on improving.

“She’s probably only got beat because the trainer has sent her to the wrong places at the wrong time. We’ll have to have a look and see if we can find a stakes race on this ground.”

Ralph Beckett is rapidly approaching 100 winners for the year and a large proportion of them have been juveniles.

He added another to that list when Saqqara Sands (4-1) was a comfortable winner of the Blandford Bloodstock Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

Second on her debut at Wolverhampton, Rossa Ryan never had her far from the pace and she held off Texas Starlight by a length and a half.

“She was green first time out and didn’t know what was required, she’s just taken a little while to work out what is required but she’s done that well today,” said Beckett.

“There’s plenty of stamina in her pedigree. We may run her again or we may not, we’ll have a feel and see what comes of it. She could come back for something like the Montrose Stakes. I’m just not sure if she’s going to go in her coat.”



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John Ryan considering Abbaye tilt for La Bellota

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John Ryan is considering an ambitious tilt at the Prix de l’Abbaye with La Bellota following his runner-up finish in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.

Second on his first two starts at Yarmouth and Musselburgh, the Mehmas gelding was then not beaten far into fifth place when stepped up to Listed level for the Roses Stakes at York last month.

He faced another rise in class and distance for Saturday’s Group Two feature in Berkshire, but outperformed his status as a 28-1 rank outsider, going down by only a neck to Richard Fahey’s highly regarded colt Powerful Glory in testing conditions.

“We were delighted with him. There’s always a worry when the ground goes that extreme, but luckily they had a downpour halfway through the morning and I think that helped as that loosened the ground and horses were getting through it,” said Ryan.

“He’s still a raw, greenish horse without the miles on the clock really, but we’d never put the gun to his head until Saturday and he came up trumps.

“I think going six furlongs for the first time helped as although he got headed he seemed to fight back until the line, so that opens up options a little bit.

“You had the right horse there that won it. Richard doesn’t get it wrong too often and if he thinks highly of one then it must be special, because he does have one or two to compare him to.”

While La Bellota is still eligible to run in a maiden, Ryan can see little merit in lowering his sights at this stage of the season and is instead eyeing a possible big-race bid on Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp.

Trainer John Ryan at Yarmouth
Trainer John Ryan at Yarmouth (Simon Cooper/PA)

“He has got an entry in the Prix de l’Abbaye. The ground does often turn up on the soft side there and now he’s proved he handles that it does open that option up for him,” the trainer added.

“He’s come out of his race very well. He went out for an exercise this morning and was moving very well and hasn’t left an oat since he got back, so touch wood he’s all good.

“We’ll get this week out of the way and then make a decision on whether we go down that (Abbaye) route, but the owner wouldn’t be averse to travelling, whether that’s France or America or wherever.

“It’s an exciting time and it’s nice to have these questions about where you’re going to go, but at the moment we’re just trying to keep our feet on the ground and have a sensible look.

“I don’t see much point in going for a maiden at 1-20 or whatever and there aren’t that many maidens at this time of year over five or six furlongs anyway.

“He’s a big horse, so whatever he does he’ll be better next year if we can keep him in one piece.”



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Manaccan misses out on Nunthorpe run

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A trip to the Breeders’ Cup could be on the cards for Manaccan, despite missing the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York after a setback.

John Ryan’s crack sprinter has been a real flag-bearer for the Newmarket yard and won four times last season.

A four-year-old son of Exceed And Excel, he signed off his previous campaign with victory in a Group Three on Dundalk’s all-weather surface and opened the new campaign with a narrow defeat under a penalty when placed behind Vadream in the Palace House at Newmarket in May.

However, he was a late withdrawal from the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and plans to go up in class at York have also been shelved.

Ryan explained: “I’m going to leave him out of the Nunthorpe. He had a bit of a hiccup in training and it has meant me giving him a few weeks’ rest.

“Basically I’m not going to get the time, or by the looks of things, the ground that I want.”

He added: “Good, good to firm is his ideal ground. I know he has run on soft ground, but that’s not his thing. He is a lot better on good, good to firm ground, and that is not what it is going to be by then, the way we are going.”

Manaccan won three of his last four runs last season, including twice in Listed company, and Ryan is setting sights higher for the Newsells Park Stud-owned colt this term.

One target could include the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in November.

Ryan said: “He would be rated high enough for a Breeders’ Cup and there are not too many horses of his calibre in the world, and it would be a thought in our mind.

“But at this point in time, we have to only think about what is around the corner, but unfortunately what is round the corner is only a few weeks away. He’s going to be a week short of where I want him to be.

“We’ll make another plan, simple as that. I’m not rushing him back. It is not life-threatening, not a long-term issue, but it just means he is not into full work at the moment.

“It has been a tough decision to make, but it is the right decision to make and it is better to make it now and let everybody know.

“The ante-post stuff means a lot to people now and, having had a discussion with the owners, the right thing to do is not to go to York. Why rush him when there will be other things to go for?

“It is just annoying, because it is a Group One, but it’s not going to fit, so the time to pull it is now.

“He’s all right and will be back to fight another day.”



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Nunthorpe consolation on the agenda for Manaccan

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John Ryan is targeting York compensation with star sprinter Manaccan following his late withdrawal at Royal Ascot last week.

The four-year-old was due to line up as a major contender for the King’s Stand Stakes under Frankie Dettori, but was declared a non-runner on veterinary advice following his arrival at the racecourse.

While Ryan admits the decision was “hard to stomach”, he is keen to move on and hopes to see Manaccan return to competitive action in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes on August 25.

“He’s able to get out and exercise, he’s sound enough,” said Newmarket handler.

“We had a little blip there, but we’ll tick through and see if we can’t prep him for the Nunthorpe. There’s nothing else before that for him, so we’ll do our best to get there.”

Ryan believes a prolonged journey to Ascot was behind Manaccan’s reported lameness and while disappointed his stable star was unable to take his chance at the Royal meeting, he accepts the decision made by the on-course veterinary team.

“It was an annoyance to say the least, but those things have to be abided by,” he added.

Trainer John Ryan at Yarmouth
Trainer John Ryan at Yarmouth (Simon Cooper/PA)

“He got to the racecourse and although he was sound, he’d given himself a knock and as a precaution, the vets felt it wasn’t worth taking a chance.

“I don’t disagree, if there’s doubt you’re better to be safe than sorry and we’ll try to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“He had a long travel up – he was in the box for over three and a half hours. It usually takes just over an hour and a half from Newmarket and he left early in the morning, but there were accidents and stuff so you can imagine it was tough for him in that heat.

“It was one of those things, it happens. It was hard to stomach on the day as there won’t be another King’s Stand this year, but there will be another option.”



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Ryan relishing King’s Stand test for Manaccan

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John Ryan is eager to take on the overseas contenders in the King’s Stand Stakes with Manaccan – and hopes to have Frankie Dettori in the saddle at Royal Ascot.

The four-year-old ended last season in rude health, winning Listed races at Doncaster and Ascot, plus a Group Three at Dundalk.

He began this season conceding weight in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket under Dettori and having been drawn on the wrong side of a rain-softened track, ran admirably to be beaten just a length and a half by Vadream.

“I was delighted with him this morning and should all go well between now and then, the King’s Stand is where we are going and hopefully Frankie is going to ride him,” said Ryan.

“We were umming and ahhing over whether we should go to Newmarket or Haydock first time out and I wanted one run before the King’s Stand.

“We went for Newmarket, despite him having to carry a penalty, because Haydock’s Temple Stakes is usually run on soft ground but it wasn’t this year.

“Obviously, with the penalty, the way the ground went and being drawn on the wrong side, he ended up running a big race but crucially it also gave him more time to get over the run than Haydock would have done.”

The King’s Stand went the way of Australia last year with Nature Strip and this year his compatriot Coolangatta is towards the head of the betting, but Ryan is unperturbed.

“We’re in the situation where we’ve got a lot more in our favour than most,” he said.

“He’s already proved he likes Ascot having won there before, we know he wants fast ground and it’s looking like it should be that and while he might not have won at this level yet, he’s won a Listed and a Group Three as well as at the Shergar Cup and those races can be very competitive.

“He’s tough and he’s sharpened his teeth now, he’s certainly earned his place in the race. He’s tough and deserves to take them on.

“Whether the opposition comes from Australia or Kathmandu, it doesn’t bother me, he always gives his best and given some fortune with the draw, I’m sure he’ll run a good race.”



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Grange Walk bags Gowran feature and tees up Aintree trip

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Grange Walk teed himself up for a trip to Aintree next month with a clear-cut victory in the Holden Plant Rentals Shamrock Handicap Chase at Gowran Park.

John Ryan’s charge was not done with when falling two fences from home at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in the race won by Final Orders and was fitted with blinkers for this €45,000 feature.

Ridden by 5lb claimer Liam Quinlan, Grange Walk proved two and a quarter lengths too strong for runner-up Minx Tiara, with Shakeytry best of the rest in third.

“I thought he was the only horse in the field capable of winning a Grade Two and the rest were handicappers. He’s a bit more than a handicapper,” said Ryan.

“He’s been a bit of an unlucky sort. Liam gave him a tip-top ride – he’s a brave lad over a fence.

“He’ll go to Aintree, the owner wants to go there. He’ll go to a two-mile handicap.

“He’s a proper two-mile chaser and the blinkers probably helped a bit.”

David Christie has stated all along that he feels Ferns Lock is booked for the top and he did nothing to alter his trainer’s thoughts when winning the INHSC Supporting Point-To-Points Tetratema Cup Hunters Chase as a 1-4 favourite should.

Just a six-year-old, Christie felt Cheltenham would come too soon for him this year, and in any case, the trainer plans on fielding last year’s narrow runner-up Winged Leader and ante-post favourite Vaucelet for that event.

Ridden by Barry O’Neill he was soon in a clear advantage and was never off the bridle in the beating Lough Derg Spirit by three and a half lengths.

Winning connections with Ferns Lock
Winning connections with Ferns Lock (Gary Carson/PA)

“At one or two on the far side he was having a look, he went to shorten and I think he actually stood on himself. I see he pulled a shoe,” said O’Neill.

“On that ground he’s travelling away and he wants to get on with it a bit and you only want to be popping away.

“I’ve no doubt in a better race, going a better gallop, maybe you could take a lead and he’ll be 100 percent.

“To be honest he’s so far ahead of everything at the moment you are restricting him a little bit by sitting against him. I’ve no doubt going forward that he’ll be fine.

“He seems to have everything. Everyone was talking about Cheltenham this year but myself and Dave had a good chat earlier in the year and it was just coming a year too soon.

“He’s still only learning, that’s only his sixth run. Next year with a good hunter chase campaign under his belt he’ll be a force to be reckoned with, I think.”

Gordon Elliott and Jordan Gainford teamed up to win division one of the Goresbridge Maiden Hurdle with 11-2 chance Abbeydale, while division two went the way of Ellmarie Holden’s 28-1 shot Karuma Grey, with 7lb claimer Diarmuid Moloney doing the steering.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Lantry Lady dominated her rivals in the Best Of Luck To The Irish At Cheltenham Mares Maiden Hurdle – pulling 14 lengths clear in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore were among the winners
Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore were among the winners (PA)

De Bromhead and Blackmore doubled up with odds-on favourite Ain’t That A Shame in the Holden Fleet Management Beginners Chase.

Although winless in six previous starts over fences, the nine-year-old has finished second on three occasions including a head defeat in the Munster National at Limerick in October.

Making his first appearance since finishing fourth in Leopardstown’s Paddy Power Chase at Christmas, the 8-13 shot made no mistake, coming home with six lengths in hand over Macs Charm.

Blackmore said: “He deserved to win that race. It was a good performance and I couldn’t be happier with him.

“He handles those conditions and it was a perfect race for him. It’s nice to get him off the mark over fences.”

Willie and Patrick Mullins took the closing bumper with £220,000 purchase Tullyhill (4-6 favourite) in the Cheveley Park Stud colours.

“He’s a real decent horse and a horse that I’ve been trying to get out all spring,” said Mullins.

“I was hoping to qualify him for Cheltenham but he just wasn’t right and we waited.

“I think he’s championship class. We’ll look for a winners’ bumper, whether we wait for Punchestown or go for one before that.

“He’s from the top drawer and is another nice horse for Cheveley Park, I think.”



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