Champion country hoop Greg Ryan chases his eighth win in the Gilgandra Cup aboard talented mare General’s Sniper on Sunday.
The Dubbo-based perennial Australian, NSW and country premiership winner teams with trainer Tracey Bartley on the four-year-old half-sister to $2.6 million earner Sniper’s Bullet.
Ryan began his Gilgandra Cup (1600m) spree aboard Top Sodbuster in 1995 and followed with Satin Reserve (1996), Double The Ton (1998), Northern Glow (2000), Nepelle (2001), Antonia’s Music (2002) and Shagny Lover (2004).
Interestingly, despite his strong ties to the Bartley stable Ryan has only been aboard the Roger and Nerida Atkinson-owned mare on one occasion, winning over 1400m at Wellington in April.
“She’s a good ride, her racing pattern suits the track,” Ryan said of the five-time winner from 21 starts.
“If she can settle in the run, she’ll be hard to beat.
“That’s the key, she needs to get a breather.
“If she goes hard it opens the race up for the likes of Cullen Castle, who on occasions has performed very well in open and Listed events in Sydney, and Nikkirina.
“They’re the two horses I respect.”
General’s Sniper has strong metropolitan form to recommend her.
Two starts back she finished runner-up to So So Sure over 1350m at Rosehill on December 8 and last start pulled when 2-3/4-length fourth to Warpath over 1600m at Randwick on Boxing Day.
“I watched her on television at Randwick, the lad (Josh Adams) attempted to settle her second but she pulled hard and didn’t race kindly,” Ryan said.
“At the furlong (200m) she got tired which was understandable.
“Her previous form was very good in strong fillies and mares races in Sydney.
“If I do have a concern, its backing up from Boxing Day to New Year’s Day.
“Randwick and Gilgandra are a long way apart and when it’s hot it’s never easy for mares being carted around.
“I’m sure Tracey will have her well hydrated.
“I’ll be very confident ifI get to the barriers and I have a full horse under me.
“It’s a team effort. We’ve all got to do our part.
“The Gilgandra Cup is a race I’ve had a bit of luck in. It would be nice to win another one.”