Sara Ryan umming and ahhing what to do with Vegas Outlaw
There are still a few days before Saturday’s Randwick meeting, which is a good thing for Wyong trainer Sara Ryan, who is trying to work out what to do with white-hot gelding Vegas Outlaw.
The son of Casino Prince will chase a fifth-straight win at the meeting, Ryan just does not yet which race that will be in.
The seven-year-old is an acceptor in both the 1500m benchmark 78 that is the fifth event and the 2000m race for the same class of horse that is Race 9.
Further complicating matters is that Vegas Outlaw has stablemates in each race and is the second emergency for the 2000m event.
“I’m still umming and ahhing what to do with him,” Ryan said of Vegas Outlaw.
“It’s really going to come down to how the form looks on which race he goes to.”
Whichever way Ryan does go, she is confident Vegas Outlaw will again be fighting out the finish.
After a second-last placing at Newcastle to start the campaign he peeled off three-straight provincial wins before a Midway success at Randwick on December 16.
Ryan feels he is as sprightly as ever and is only starting to hit straps despite being halfway through his seven-year-old season.
“He was doing helicopters on me yesterday, so he is feeling absolutely fine,” she said.
“It’s taken a long time for his brain to reach his feet, but now it’s gotten there he’s just oozing confidence and he’s a happy horse, so he’s racing well.”
Ryan said the 1500m event was probably the more suitable race for Vegas Outlaw, but in that event she also has Money From The Sky engaged.
That means an option could be to scratch Vegas Outlaw from the 1500m and run in the 2000m with her other acceptor in that event, Roma Avenue, to go around at Canterbury on Friday night.
Vegas Outlaw needs only one more scratching to be assured of a run in that race with Chris Waller withdrawing Monarchs Brae shortly after fields were declared.
Roma Avenue has drawn barrier 14 at Randwick but has gate two over 1900m at Canterbury.
“I’m hesitant to run them against each other because they’re so well and there can be only one winner,” Ryan said.
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