Fresh is best as Ryan hunts breakthrough win on Newcastle program

Gerald Ryan believes General Salute is in peak condition as the Rosehill trainer strives for not just a first win in the $1million The Hunter, but a breakthrough victory on the annual standalone program at Newcastle.

The Ryan and Sterling Alexiou yard, winners two weeks ago of the Golden Eagle with Skyhook, will send General Salute to the 1300m feature and also Just Party to the benchmark 94 handicap consolation race.

The stable has had just one runner, Standout, across seven editions of the Hunter, and it finished 11th in 2021. Ellsberg (2020) and Donandkim (2019) were third in the group 3 Spring Stakes, and Good Hotspur was second in the 2024 Max Lees Classic for the team among a handful of runners on the Hunter programs.

Ryan said The Hunter has always been on the radar for General Salute this preparation, which has featured a freshen up after a campaign taking in victory in the Winter Stakes and placings in two other listed Sydney races.

The six-year-old, which has overcome feet problems and bone-chip surgery, then won the group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap and was one and a half lengths fifth in the Alan Brown Stakes at 1400m.

He returns at 1300m on Saturday, five weeks after his Alan Brown run, with Tim Clark aboard the $9 hope from gate 10.

“He appreciates the space between runs,” Ryan said.

“When he goes this far between runs, we send him to the farm and he goes on the water treadmill, has a week or 10 days there and then comes back.

“He’s terrific and he looks as good as I’ve seen him look.

“He’s no star, but he’s a good, honest little horse that keeps paying his way.”

General Salute became a 59 kilogram top weight with the scratching of Russell Balding Stakes winner Pericles (61kg), which is heading to the group 1 CF Orr Stakes at Sandown.

Ryan was no doubt happy to see Pericles confirmed as a scratching, but he was critical of the weight given to General Salute.

“I couldn’t understand the weights,” he said.

“They say when there are five benchmark points between horses at the weights, that’s 2.5 kilos, and we only got two below Pericles.

“I hate benchmarks but it defies what the rule is. It’s only half a kilo but it might make a difference in a close finish.”

Given General Salute’s dislike for firm summer tracks, Ryan said he may be spelled after the Hunter.

Just Party was $15 from gate three in The Hunter consolation over 1300m to finish the day. The five-year-old failed to see out 1500m last start in the Five Diamonds Prelude when sixth. That run followed two unplaced efforts at 1400m listed level at Flemington.

“He won the Goulburn Cup well first-up, then he was unlucky in his first run at Flemington, then in his second run there, he just didn’t handle the heavy track,” Ryan said.

“The other day he was disappointing, but he doesn’t run that journey. This is back to his best trip, 1300-1400. He had a week or so down at the farm, too. He’s been back a week and he worked well Tuesday morning.

“He overraced a little bit last start as well. Everyone who rides him says he’ll run further, then every time we try him further, he doesn’t run it.”

The Newcastle Jockey Club has renamed the race the Sugarloaf, after the region’s highest mountain. The NJC board had discussed the idea of a slot race in Newcastle, and the name Sugarloaf, following the trend of The Everest and Kosciuszko, had become a running joke among directors. The race typically offers a view to runners in the following’s year The Hunter.