Call Di up for Rosehill assignment

Two weeks ago, Gerald Ryan headed to the races optimistic that superbly bred mare Call Di could kick off her campaign with a win – until he saw her in the parade ring.

Usually calm and relaxed, the John Singleton-owned daughter of superstars Frankel and Samantha Miss went to pieces, and so did Ryan’s confidence.

“First-up she melted in the mounting yard, she’d never been like that before,” Ryan said.

“It really surprised me. I went to the races thinking she could win but by the time she got into the mounting yard, I basically said to ‘Singo’, ‘I don’t like her at all the way she paraded’.”

Despite appearances, Call Di was far from disgraced in finishing runner-up to Powerful Peg and provided there was no repeat of those pre-race nerves, Ryan expected her to be hard to beat in Saturday’s Campbelltown Catholic Club Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill.

“Hopefully she gets back to her old self on Saturday now she’s got that run under her belt,” he said.

“On Saturday there’s a lot more speed in the race so I reckon she’ll get a more genuinely run race and that will allow her to find her feet and get home.”

A victory by Call Di would be timely with Singleton set to auction off more than 50 yearlings and broodmares, including Call Di’s dam Samantha Miss, at an unreserved dispersal sale on Tuesday as part of a reduction of his thoroughbred interests.

Call Di, who will be partnered by Nash Rawiller, is a $3.20 pre-race boombet favourite while stablemate Smashing Eagle is also top pick for his assignment in the Cabra-Vale Diggers Handicap (1100m).

A recent recruit, Smashing Eagle has been a work in progress but provided he gets conditions to suit, Ryan sees no reason he can’t make it back-to-back Rosehill wins.

“You have to ride him quiet, and you have to have speed on, and then he’ll find the line well,” Ryan said.

“He’s a funny horse but after his second run for us he really settled down and came around and his last two runs have been very good.”