THURSDAY: July 29, 2022: BLAKE Ryan has come a long way in the past 18 months.
After beginning his training career midway through the 2020-21 season and winning with his first starter Divine Future at Orange in February last year, the young Hawkesbury horseman has now put together eight winners in his first full season.
The latest was lightly-raced mare Yes You Think, who turned in a brilliant performance to score at Wyong today at only her second start for her new trainer.
Ridden by Regan Bayliss, Yes You Think ($15) overcame a wide barrier to overhaul $3 favorite Siyata in the shadows of the post in the Class 1 Handicap (1200m).
The daughter of international champion racehorse and now stud success So You Think races in the same colours as Ryan’s breakthrough city winner (Momack at Rosehill Gardens in May), and fetched $26,000 when sold as a weanling through Inglis in 2018.
“I’ve got half a dozen horses now for Mr Pollicina (Ravenswood Bloodstock), and very pleased to have them,” Ryan said this evening en route home.
“Yes You Think’s previous trainer Angela Davies did a good job with this mare, and won a Taree Maiden easily with her in February.
“She had only a soft 800m trial (which she won) at Hawkesbury and no jumpout before she ran first-up at Goulburn on July 8 on a very heavy track.
“So there was definitely improvement in the mare from that race to today.
“I wasn’t too worried about her wide draw as I noticed they were swooping in the first couple of races.
“Provided Regan could get a backside to follow into the race, I thought she would run well, and there’s further improvement to come as her coat is still patchy.”
Yes You Think began really well before Bayliss eased her back to get cover, then sat on the tail of Miss Anticipation before pulling right to the outside on the turn.
She made up many lengths to notch her second win from only six starts, and Ryan is confident there are more in store.
“Being a lightly-raced mare by So You Think, there is definitely upside with her,” he said.
“I really like her, and won’t be surprised if she can a midweek race in town or even a Midway at a Saturday meeting.”
Reflecting on his fledgling career, Ryan recalled having only one racehorse in training and five pre-trainers on Australia Day last year.
“Now I have moved stables and have 26 boxes and they are full,” he said.
“To get eight winners in my first full season is very satisfying, and especially as there have been six individual winners along with dual winner Illustrating Law, who changed hands after his Gosford victory early last month and will make his Darwin debut on Saturday at the Cup carnival.”