Star colt Rubick’s spring campaign has been delayed but Gerald Ryan still has plenty of fire power for the early season three-year-old races.
Among his team is Bachman who is being set for an audacious first-up bid at Group One glory in next month’s $1 million Golden Rose.
A virus put paid to the trainer’s plans to run Rubick in Saturday’s San Domenico Stakes (1100m) but Ryan said he would probably still have two runners – Ygritte and Washington Heights.
Ryan produced a stellar line-up of juveniles during the 2013/14 season capped by Peggy Jean’s victory in the Group One Champagne Stakes.
The winner of the Group Three Schweppes, Bachman has not been seen since he was unplaced in the Champagne.
“The plan is to go first-up into the Golden Rose and all going well, Bachman will go to Melbourne for the Caulfield Guineas Prelude and then the Guineas,” Ryan said.
“Washington Heights and Ygritte will both be nominated for the San Domenico.
“Ygritte could wait for the Silver Shadow a week later but we will look at what nominates for Saturday.
“Washington Heights is a nice horse and his target will be the Spring Champion Stakes if he looks like he will run the distance.”
The Group One Spring Champion (2000m) is on October 11, the final day of the Sydney carnival.
Washington Heights, who will be having just his second start in the San Domenico, has a Group placing from his debut second in the Kindergarten Stakes.
Ygritte has been to the races four times, winning on debut at Kembla Grange before posting three Group Three seconds including one behind subsequent Golden Slipper winner Mossfun in the Widden Stakes.
Ryan said Peggy Jean was likely to resume in the Group Two Furious Stakes (1400m) on September 6.
Rubick, winner of the Blue Diamond Prelude, is coming along well with the Schillaci Stakes and Coolmore Stud Stakes in Melbourne as his new targets.
“I saw him the other day and he looks really good,” Ryan said.
Breeders’ Plate winner Law will be among the San Domenico hopefuls at his first start for trainer Chris Waller.
He was originally entered for Saturday’s Rosebud but the stable opted to wait another week.
