A WIN TO THE EXTREME FOR RYAN’S UNDERRATED MARE

BLAKE Ryan went to Rosehill Gardens yesterday thinking he might have a Provincial-Midway Championships candidate next autumn.

With this year’s PMC Final runner-up, leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ Lord Of Biscay, engaged in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1200m), the Hawkesbury trainer felt he would get a good guide on the performance of his mare Lady Extreme.

He got a good guide allright – but even better than he had hoped for when Lady Extreme at $21 got into the clear after straightening and scorched down the outside and past Lord Of Biscay ($7) to clinch her fifth victory – and fourth in town.

Ridden by Jay Ford, the six-year-old mare defeated Felix Majestic ($41) and Lord Of Biscay to boost her earnings to nearly $360,000 from 14 starts, which have also realised six minor placings.

Such was the extent of Lady Extreme’s performance, which Ryan understandably rated as her best win, that the 2026 Provincial-Midway Championships have all but been put aside.

“I didn’t go to Rosehill yesterday confident she could win, but thought she was a Top 5 chance,” Ryan said today.

“Lady Extreme has now won five races, and she can’t win any more before the series begins next autumn to be eligible.

“But how can I look that far ahead now and give her a break when she is in such great form?

“We had a crack at getting some black type in the Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton in July, and she ran well enough to finish sixth from an awkward draw.

“Remarkably she started at $10 at Grafton, but double those odds yesterday for what was a pretty strong race even though it didn’t carry black type.

“A few things probably went our way yesterday. Lady Extreme had only 53.5kg going up in class, and the speed was on which obviously helped her.

“Nonetheless she was really good and has pulled up well.

“She likes her runs spaced, so I will have a look at the programs and see where we go next.”

Ryan saw the ironic side of Lady Extreme emerging as clearly his best stable flag-bearer since taking out his licence and setting up shop at Hawkesbury four and a half years ago, winning with his maiden starter Divine Future at Orange on February 20, 2021.

Lady Extreme was a $250,000 Gold Coast Magic Millions buy around the time Ryan was getting started at Hawkesbury, but never got to the races until Luke Wilkinson bought her online for $27,500 through Inglis Digital in March 2023.

He was planning to breed with her and asked Ryan to look after her for a few days until a float arrived to take her to Victoria.

Wilkinson had a last minute change of heart, called Ryan the morning the float was due at his stable that day and asked if he would like to give her a try. The rest is history.

“Thank goodness Luke gave me the chance to train her,” Ryan, who scored with the mare on debut at Gosford in December 2023, said.

“I have thought about that often over the last two years.

“Lady Extreme might not make the annals of the all-time greats, but I won’t forget her.

“She gives everything in her races, and has one thing you can’t train – guts.”

Ryan has just come off his best season with 15 winners, and Lady Extreme yesterday was his career 45^th.

Fellow Hawkesbury trainer Alex Lemarie made it 14 wins for the local training base in the opening month of the new season when he scored at Wyong today with Show County ($3.50 favorite) in the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1350m).

Show County was always travelling like a winner, and defeated a late-finishing Bluff ‘N’ Bluster ($13) and Squeezebox ($3.90).

The Showtime gelding has a real liking for the Wyong circuit as two of his three wins have been at the track.

It was nearly 12 months ago that he shed his maiden status at the Wyong Cup meeting, when also partnered by Beuzelin.

Dylan Gibbons, who served his apprenticeship with leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, is made of the tough stuff.

Now based in Sydney, Gibbons bounced back from a nasty Rosehill Gardens spill yesterday (where his mount Tyreek was subsequently euthanased) to ride a Wyong double today.

He scored on Strongside ($7) and debutante Whatalegacy ($2.40 favorite).

. Newcastle trainer Albert O’Hearn also was in the winning list at Wyong, taking the Provincial Maiden Handicap (1100m) with Devious Mind ($5).

The Headwater six-year-old was having his 20^th start and, ridden by apprentice Molly Bourke, defeated leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup’s Gladstone Grande ($4.60) and Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan’s debutante Hard Jakka ($2.45 favorite).

Story John Curtis, August 31, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos