Horror gate sets Glamour a big 2025 Festival Stakes task

Gerald Ryan has no doubt Arctic Glamour’s shock first-up win was the real deal, but he concedes a wide barrier has raised the degree of difficulty as she lines up in the Festival Stakes at Rosehill.

The mare defied her $41 quote to win the Hot Danish Stakes (1400m) earlier this month, bouncing back strongly after two unflattering runs during the Brisbane winter carnival.

Ryan says those Queensland failures were more about Eagle Farm than the horse herself, and they unfairly shaped her starting price.

“I told anyone who asked me she’d win. She was over the odds,” Ryan said.

“Her two runs in Queensland, she just would not stretch out at Eagle Farm, which a lot of horses don’t. Kerrin (McEvoy) came back in both times and said, ‘her run isn’t as bad as what it looks’.”

Arctic Glamour’s credentials are strong: a win over Joliestar as a three-year-old, Group 2 placings behind Olentia and Schwarz, and a top-five finish behind Ceolwulf in last year’s Epsom Handicap (1600m).

The Hot Danish was her first victory in two years, but her earnings of more than $730,000 from 21 starts tell the story of a mare often undone by wet tracks and misfortune rather than lack of ability.

“She’s had a lot of genuine excuses,” Ryan said.

“But she worked really well on the Tuesday morning before she won, and I did the same work with her this Tuesday, and she worked equally as well.”

Arctic Glamour raced close to the speed first-up, but from barrier 19 Ryan says he’ll be carefully weighing up the tempo and map before settling on a strategy.

He is adamant, though, that she must run to stay on schedule for The Ingham (1600m) at Randwick next month.

Brosnan, another from the Ryan yard, contests the Vale John Jeffs Handicap (1800m), enjoying a three-kilo weight swing on Luskaire after going down by just half a length over the same course and distance last start.

“He’s consistent and honest and he meets the horse who beat him last start three kilos better on Saturday,” Ryan said.

“He won’t be far away.”

If you’re investing on the Festival Stakes, make sure to compare markets at the leading Australian betting sites to find the best price.