Trainer Gerald Ryan is eyeing a stunning double on Group 3 Kembla Classic day on Friday.
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On the path to next month's Australian Oaks, Ryan's progressive filly Call Di broke her maiden in February before surging late for third in the Group 2 Armanasco Stakes (1400m) a fortnight ago.
Call Di now stretches out to the mile for the first time in the $200,000 Kembla Grange feature.
"She'll appreciate the 1600m on the big track," Ryan said. "She got back and went home well, the race wasn't run to suit at Sandown, but she's pretty well placed here, but there's also a few unknowns in the race.
"They're only a three-year-old once, she's very well bred (Frankel out of Samantha Miss), so we'll head towards the Vinery and the Oaks."
The 'unknowns' Ryan speaks of include talented Kiwi filly Polygon, which has won back-to-back Group races at Te Rapa for trainer Lance Noble.
With Tyler Schiller to ride, Call Di opened a $3.80 favourite on Wednesday, with Richard and Will Freedman-trained Pavitra at $4.40, Polygon at $4.80 and Kris Lees' Wolverine at $5.
Whisky Wisdom ($34) will carry the Illawarra's hopes for new Kembla Grange trainer Ben Smith after finishing an eye-catching fourth in a 1500m Midway Handicap at Rosehill.
Call Di ran third to stablemate A Lot More Love in the Listed Reginald Allen at Randwick last preparation, but after being nominated for Friday's Kembla Classic, Ryan has instead opted to take A Lot More Love to the Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
Ryan, with co-trainer Sterling Alexiou, is also attacking the other main race on the card, the time-honoured Bert Lillye Memorial Handicap.
The Face, who ran fourth in the Listed Takeover Target, returns to the track for the first time in 40 weeks, but has had two impressive trials.
"We weren't happy with him last prep, so we gave him a couple of months off," Ryan said.
"Then we weren't happy with him again, so we took him back out, he just didn't come up.
"His two trials have been great, he's a fast horse who'll be up on speed.
"He only just gets the 1200m at the best of times, but he's ready to go."
Stablemate Flying Crazy is also in the eight-horse field, carrying 60.5 kilograms with top jockey Kerrin McEvoy aboard.
The four-year-old gelding ran a solid fifth first-up with 59.5kg chasing Andermatt in a BenchMark 94 three weeks ago at Rosehill Gardens.
"He ran well in that 1100m race," Ryan said.
"He'll appreciate it if there's good speed up front, because he'll be back in the field with a bit of weight, but hopefully he'll get his chance."
KEMBLA GRANGE
Group 3 Kembla Classic Day, Friday
Gates open: 11am
First race: 1.15pm, last race: 5.30pm
Kembla Classic: 4.55pm; Bert Lillye Memorial Handicap: 3.05pm.
Free entry.
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Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
