The Rosehill-based training combination of Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou are set to feature prominently in this Saturday’s Group 2 Villiers at Royal Randwick.
Chris Waller aside, it’s pretty rare air for one stable to have the top two in betting in a Group 2 race, but that’s exactly what the training combination of Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou have in this Saturday’s Group 2 Villiers at Royal Randwick.
As of Tuesday before the barrier draw, their consistent entire Ellsberg sits at $4.50 favourite with the TAB, while stablemate Steely is on the second line of betting at $6.
Ellsberg comes into the $750,000 feature on the back of a win in the Group 3 Festival Stakes over 1500m at Rosehill, while Steely was second in the Goulburn Cup before getting through slogging conditions for a strong victory in a Benchmark 88 at Kembla Grange over the mile.
Co-trainer Alexiou is more than happy with both representatives, but is not entirely convinced the oddsmakers have it right.
“Steely worked really well (Friday) morning and Ellsberg worked well (Saturday). Both are on song,” Alexiou said.
“It’s probably closer than the markets dictate because 1500m around Rosehill is a long way from a mile at Randwick.”
Ellsberg has had two attempts over the mile journey for two placings including a second in the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic at Eagle Farm earlier in the year.
In contrast Steely has won over distances upwards of 1800m in Heavy conditions, and that fact is not lost on Alexiou.
“One (Steely) is proven over the mile and further at Randwick and the other one (Ellsberg), most of his form is around here (at Rosehill), even though he has put up some good performances in Brisbane,” Alexiou said.
“Both horses are still on the way up and it is hard to put a ceiling on both.”
With Steely weighted on the lowly 53kg, Alexiou had to make an early call on who was to get the steer with regular jockey Josh Parr unable to ride at such a low marker.
“We had to bite the bullet two weeks ago,” Alexiou said.
“It was either stick with Josh and at that stage there was no way Steely was going to get Josh’s weight. Or we just had to make a call early and Kerrin (McEvoy) can ride the minimum.”
You’d love to own a stable full of both horses with Ellsberg only missing a drum twice in 13 starts, a seventh in the Golden Eagle and a close-up fourth in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas. Meanwhile, Steely has won eight of his 20 outings amassing over $430,000 in the process.
With the prospect of wet weather throughout the week, it’s another factor that may be to the second-favourite’s advantage.
“Both handle most track conditions,” Alexiou said.
“They have both shown they can handle soft ground now. Steely is adept on very heavy conditions, Ellsberg hasn’t proven himself yet.”