General Salute continued a highly successful spring carnival for trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou by securing a thrilling victory in the Listed $1 million The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle on Saturday.
Newcastle’s richest race was a tight contest between General Salute and She’s An Artist, with the former carrying a 6kg penalty and winning by a mere nose.
The training partnership has entered fewer than 100 horses this season, achieving 13 wins, including six at stakes level, and earning nearly $8 million. Their major spring carnival victories are:
- Group 1 Golden Eagle – Skyhook
- Group 2 Theo Mark Stakes – Skyhook
- Group 2 Shannon Stakes – Skyhook
- Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap – General Salute
- Listed The Hunter – General Salute
- Listed The Rosebud – Chilly Girls
While Skyhook’s stellar spring performances, particularly its win in the Golden Eagle, represent the stable’s peak achievement, it was evident that General Salute’s Hunter win held significant meaning for Alexiou.
“I’d like to have another 10 horses like General Salute in the stable, I know that much, he is such a gutsy horse,” Alexiou said. “But like the other day with Skyhook in the Golden Eagle I didn’t want to go up too early. I thought he just won but I wasn’t sold on the result. I’m glad he got his nose in front on the line.”
General Salute ($10) edged out She’s An Artist ($7) in a tight finish for The Hunter, with the favourite, Sweynesday ($6), finishing a length and a half behind in third.
Coal Crusher, the victor of The Hunter in 2023 and 2025, was retired after completing the race at the back of the field.
The win was General Salute’s sixth from 22 starts, taking his career earnings past $1.6 million, but he had to fight hard for his Hunter triumph.
“I was happy where he was in the run but I noticed from about the 600m he was being hard ridden which is unusual for him but it was an indication of how quickly they were going up front,” Alexiou commented. “Then he made his run with She’s An Artist and to that horse’s credit, she was not going away. I was a bit worried she might get the better of him late as he was giving away quite a bit of weight (6kg) to the second horse but like he often does, he finds a way. He’s the ultimate professional because he gives everything he’s got in his races. There was a time when he went about 18 months without a win but he bumped into some really good horses. Although it is nice to run placings in those big races, nothing beats winning and he really deserved this win.”
For top jockey Tim Clark, who is a self-described Newcastle Knights supporter, General Salute provided him with his first win in The Hunter.
Clark acknowledged that General Salute had to “fight hard” to get past She’s An Artist.
“He’s so tough and very honest,” Clark said of the horse. “The tempo was quite quick but he was relaxed until he came off the bridle in the middle stages. But he had saved his energy and was able to show that good turn of foot late.”
Clark admitted that he moved on General Salute earlier than usual, conscious of the jockey’s 59kg weight.
“I was mindful of the big weight and wanted to get him going a bit earlier so he could get through his gears,” Clark said. “To the second horse’s credit it kept coming with him and we couldn’t shake him off. He’s a horse I really enjoy riding and I’m glad he got his head down on the line. It was nice to get a big win on him.”
Alexiou confirmed that General Salute’s spring campaign, and the stable’s overall success, does not conclude with The Hunter.
“We will look at the Supernova at Pakenham in about a month’s time,” Alexiou stated. “He’s a horse that takes a little maintenance so the month between runs suits him. We’ve had a really good spring, I think we have done a great job with the ‘cattle’ we have got, placed them well and they have all won good races.”
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