RYAN'S SKILLS SHOW WITH MARE'S FIRST-UP CITY WIN

SUNDAY: June 1, 2025: SHE was within hours of being loaded on to a float to embark on a breeding career without racing.

The then filly’s new owner Luke Wilkinson had a change of heart, and asked Blake Ryan if he would like to have a crack at training her.

Of course the Hawkesbury trainer said yes, and at Rosehill Gardens yesterday won his second city race with the now five-year-old mare.

Ridden by Alysha Collett, Lady Extreme ($4.40 equal favorite) took the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m), defeating Kembla Grange pair, Kerry Parker’s Let’s Go Again ($8) and Paul Murray’s Harry’s Bar ($4.60).

A daughter of Extreme Choice, Lady Extreme fetched $250,000 as a 2021 Magic Millions yearling at the Gold Coast.

However, she never got to face the starter and Wilkinson bought her online in March 2023 for a heck of a lot of loss; $27,500 to be exact.

“Luke asked if I could look after Lady Extreme for a few days until she was floated to Victoria to start a breeding career,” Ryan recalled today.

“I think the float was due to pick her up around 3pm, and he rang me at 10 that morning asking if I wanted to have a crack with her.

“She had immaturity issues and that’s apparently why she was sold online, and obviously I’m very appreciative of Luke giving me the chance to train her.”

Ryan has done a superb job with Lady Extreme, who has started 10 times for three wins and six placings.

Her sole unplaced performance was at Kembla Grange in June last year when she ran fifth in a Midway Class 1 Handicap (1000m).

“Lady Extreme drew the outside that day, and we made the mistake of going too far back on her,” Ryan said.

“She is a very genuine mare as her record shows.”

In clinching his 12th winner of the season (only one shy of his benchmark 13 last season), Ryan underlined his training skills by not only winning first-up with Lady Extreme yesterday, but also without a trial.

“It wasn’t by design,” he said. “I planned to trial her once at Hawkesbury on May 19, but they were called off.

“However, it didn’t bother me. There’s none better than Dad (Rosehill Gardens trainer Gerald Ryan) at getting horses ready to win first-up, and I learnt a lot from him.

“And I also remember asking Lee Freedman one day what made a good trainer.

“He told me ability and being able to think outside the square.

“So I decided to simply train her to win first-up and, fortunately, she is an athletic type who doesn’t take much to get ready to resume.

“I ride her in pretty well all her work, and knew she was ready to run well.”

Ryan, who also won with debutante Nothing But Net at Goulburn the previous day, now hopes to make it three in town with Lady Extreme back at Rosehill on Saturday week.

He has the choice of running the mare in either another Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m) or Benchmark 78 Handicap (1300m) against her own sex.

“Lady Extreme’s benchmark rating went up five points to 74 after yesterday’s win,” Ryan said.

“I’ll have a look at both races, and won’t mind putting an apprentice on if I feel it is necessary.

“She isn’t a difficult mare to ride.”