Months of planning come to a head for Blitzburg this weekend, with the Canonbury Stakes winner resuming in the Rosebud at Rosehill against a quality group of three-year-old colts.
Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou will saddle both Blitzburg and Skyhook, but Alexiou says Blitzburg has been specifically aimed at Saturday’s race. “He’s been on this program for a long time,” he said. “He’s fit, he’s had a great lead-up, and soft ground is no problem.”
Blitzburg’s peak moment came in February’s Canonbury Stakes where a gear change and aggressive riding produced a commanding win. Surgery for a bone chip followed, but lessons learned from that run will shape Saturday’s tactics from his wide alley.
Skyhook, who shone in the Pago Pago Stakes earlier in the year, is being readied for the Golden Rose via the Run To The Rose. He will need to handle 60.5kg and potentially wet conditions.
“He’s a naturally athletic horse,” Alexiou said. “He hasn’t trialled much, but his gallops at home have kept him where we want him. Blitzburg, on the other hand, has trialled strongly twice and is very forward.”