Gerald Ryan is adamant Arctic Glamour’s impressive first-up victory was no flash in the pan, although he concedes a wide draw has made her next challenge more complicated as she looks to repeat the feat in the Festival Stakes at Rosehill.

The mare went around at $41 when she claimed the Hot Danish Stakes (1400m) earlier this month, her first outing since two unplaced efforts during the Brisbane winter carnival.

Ryan believes those Queensland runs unfairly shaped her price, arguing punters overlooked her record and her clear dislike for the Eagle Farm surface.

“I told anyone who asked me she’d win. She was over the odds,” Ryan said.

“Her two runs in Queensland, she just would not stretch out at Eagle Farm, which a lot of horses don’t. Kerrin (McEvoy) came back in both times and said, ‘her run isn’t as bad as what it looks’.”

As a three-year-old, Arctic Glamour posted a win over future multiple Group 1 star Joliestar and has collected Group 2 placings behind Olentia and Schwarz, along with a brave fifth to Ceolwulf in last year’s Epsom Handicap (1600m).

Her Hot Danish Stakes win snapped a two-year drought between victories, with rain-affected tracks she dislikes and a run of poor luck playing a major role in her modest winning record, despite more than $730,000 in prizemoney from 21 starts.

“She’s had a lot of genuine excuses,” Ryan said.

“But she worked really well on the Tuesday morning before she won, and I did the same work with her this Tuesday, and she worked equally as well.”

Arctic Glamour raced on the speed when resuming, but Ryan says tactics from the wide alley will depend on how the race maps shape up closer to start time.

Even from barrier 19, he insists the five-year-old needs to take her place to stay on track for The Ingham (1600m) at Randwick next month.

Stablemate Brosnan also steps out on Saturday in the Vale John Jeffs Handicap (1800m), enjoying a favourable weight swing on Luskaire, who beat him by half a length over the same trip on November 8.

“He’s consistent and honest and he meets the horse who beat him last start three kilos better on Saturday,” Ryan said.

“He won’t be far away.”

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