Tough four-year-old Ellsberg will be freshened for a shot at the Stradbroke Handicap after bouncing out of his Group 1 All Aged Stakes placing behind seasoned campaigners Cascadian and Tofane.
Co-trainer Gerald Ryan is still weighing up the best path to take towards the $1.5 million race but says Ellsberg will have one more run in either NSW or Brisbane before tackling the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11.
“He could even go to that race at Gosford, the $500,000 The Coast, and then go five weeks into the Stradbroke, or we might have a month (break) now and run him in one of those lead-up races at Doomben or Eagle Farm,” Ryan said.
“He’s a tough horse. He doesn’t know how to run a bad race.”
Ryan and training partner Sterling Alexiou enjoyed a fruitful Saturday last weekend with their Group 1 runners in Sydney, Williamsburg and Ellsberg, placing in their respective assignments while the trio of horses they took to Brisbane all won.
They have paid up for just one runner at Randwick this Saturday, two-year-old Captain Bond in the Schweppes Handicap (1100m), although he has also been entered for Gosford on Anzac Day.
The Capitalist colt was sent out a short-priced favourite on debut at Hawkesbury earlier this month off the back of two comfortable barrier trial wins, but his manners let him down and he was beaten into third by Czar, who will again be among his rivals at Randwick.
“He has been a difficult horse to get going. He is a nerve nut, but I thought that was all out of his system,” Ryan said.
“They said he just melted behind the gates at Hawkesbury.
“It looks quite a strong race so I will just have a look at it because he is also in a maiden on Monday.”
Captain Bond is raced by the Vieira family, who enjoyed great success with Ryan through the feats of multiple Group 1 winner and exciting stallion prospect Trapeze Artist.
He has drawn well at Randwick in gate three and will have apprentice Tyler Schiller aboard.