Having broken through for his first win in Victoria, Nick Ryan is now looking at a ‘black type’ race with Not To Be Mist.
The former Perth galloper is among nominations for the Listed Chester Manifold Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Not To Be Mist scored in the Furphy Festive Season Sprint (1200m) at Flemington on December 18 after Ryan and his staff put considerable work into the gelding to rectify a foot problem.
The stable was disappointed with Not To Be Mist’s performance at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day and set about also riding the gelding differently.
New shoes went on Not To Be Mist for the Flemington win under Rhys McLeod and Ryan said he is sticking to the same recipe on Saturday.
“The only thing is we’ll have Damien Thornton on as he gets in on the minimum,” Ryan said.
“He’s going down in weight, but up in class.
“He’ll race in the pads again. Some guys make a change, the day before and put normal plates back on, but he really settled into them well and we’ve elected to run him in them again.
“They’ve stay on since his win once he settled into them, especially as he’s at Flemington. It might have been different if we were down the beach or something.”
While Saturday’s contest is a rise in grade from the Benchmark 84 race he won on December 18, Ryan said there was not a lot of suitable races available.
“He’s an 86-rater now, so he’s getting up there and there’s not a lot there for him,” Ryan said.
“Options are getting a little skinny and while he’s in good form and he’s well, I think we’ll go New Year’s Day and he probably deserves to be given a shot.
“Stepping up to 1400 metres will suit him on the big track, his home track.
“We’ve figured him out now, how to ride him, so we’ll have a throw at the stumps.”