In Brief
- Galenus makes his long-awaited return to racing on Sunday.
- First-up without a trial a big ask for Galenus.
- Bill Ryan's pair should be competitive.
A few months back there were six-figure offers on the table for Tasmanian galloper Galenus while he was campaigning interstate, but when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, the prospective buyers couldn’t commit.
The Mandy Gunn-bred gelding has had three successive wins following a debut third in Launceston as a two-year-old but while at Patrick Payne’s stable for his Victorian campaign he impressed everyone who crossed his path.
He had one start in Victoria for an effortless win in a benchmark 64 handicap over 1200 metres at Cranbourne with Billy Egan aboard, carrying 60.5 kilograms.
Galenus is back home at Scott Brunton’s Seven Mile Beach stables and on Sunday he makes his return to racing in a Tasbred Bonus race over 1100 metres in Hobart.
David Pires jumps aboard and from gate two in a small field of six, there probably won’t be any fancy odds bet about the son of Magnus, but he will go around at odds that will be better than bank interest.
Brunton says Galenus is fit and well and gearing up for what he hopes will be a great summer.
“We have always had a good opinion of Galenus and his record exposes his ability but he has yet to be tested against the best we have in the state and hopefully he can measure up when we give him that opportunity,” Brunton said.
“This will be a good test for him on Sunday because even though it’s a small field there is a lot of good form in the race.”
Galenus finished third to Deroche and Still a Star on debut in the $50,000 2YO Classic in May last year and at his subsequent start in a maiden in Launceston in October last year he almost dislodged rider Noel Callow when he sprawled after jumping awkwardly from the barriers.
When Callow returned to the unsaddling enclosure after winning the race, he made one comment “This horse could be a freak”.
Take the Sit (Brendon McCoull) defeats Runaway Girl (Siggy Carr) in the final race on 13 September.
Galenus went on to win the 3YO Classic over 1200m on Launceston Cup day after which he was dispatched to Melbourne.
On Sunday he comes up against Bill Ryan’s in-form pair in Red Letter Lady and Take the Sit, both of which have won two times from three starts this preparation.
Take the Sit has won her past two in Devonport and horses she defeated in both races have since gone on to win (Gold Current and Runaway Girl).
Red Letter Lady won first-up in Devonport defeating Lucky Roo in a maiden and she then went on to defeat Loki Patera in a class 1, with Loki Patera going on to win in Devonport last week.
Add to the mix the Angela Brakey-trained White Cliffs that won three in succession last season before embarking on an unsuccessful interstate campaign.
White Cliffs trialled well at Longford on Tuesday finishing an eye-catching third to Blaze Forth over 730 metres with Kyle Maskiell aboard but if it looks like being a rain-affected track he might not make the trip south.
Watch Galenus win the 3YO Classic in Launceston in February.