BENCHMARK RISE KEY TO HAWKESBURY MARE'S RAMORNIE TARGET

BLAKE Ryan is sure to take more than a cursory glance at his phone tomorrow.

The Hawkesbury trainer will be checking to see how the RacingNSW handicapping panel treats his gritty mare Lady Extreme following her tenacious victory at Rosehill Gardens yesterday.

Jockey Alysha Collett teamed with the lightly-raced five-year-old mare to make it two city wins on end (and Lady Extreme’s third) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m).

Ryan, enjoying a benchmark season with 15 winners so far in only his fourth full year of training, is keen to give Lady Extreme a crack at gaining some black type in Grafton’s feature sprint, the Listed $200,000 Ramornie Handicap (1200m), on July 16.

But he isn’t certain her benchmark rating will be high enough to secure a start in what is generally a capacity field.

“Lady Extreme’s benchmark was 74 before yesterday, and she will probably go up four points to 78,” Ryan said today.

“I noticed that the third emergency (Kipling’s Journey) in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich a week ago was a 78 rater and gained a start, and the lowest rated runner in the Ramornie last year was Richon on 80 (Cecil Street Lad was a 72 rater but qualified by winning the John Carlton Cup Quality, 1195m there 10 days earlier).

“Lady Extreme’s owner Luke Wilkinson is a breeder, so it would be nice to give the mare her chance in the Ramornie if we can get there.

“No skin off our nose if it doesn’t happen. There is another Benchmark race at Rosehill Gardens the Saturday after the Ramornie.”

Ryan described winning rider Collett as a “female Mick Dittman” for vigorously getting Lady Extreme home in the nick of time.

“Lady Extreme was disappointed for a run on straightening, but when Alysha got her into the clear I was confident she would get there,” he said.

‘I have been associated with a lot of good horses including Red Excitement (who gave Winx’s fans a fright in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes at Royal Randwick in 2017), but this mare is as gutsy as any of them.

“She gives everything, and really lifted the last few strides under Alysha.”

Lady Extreme ($5) edged out Flying Destiny ($11) to take her record to four wins and six placings from only 11 starts, and Ryan says “Miss Consistency” should never have been unplaced.

“The day she finished fifth at Kembla Grange 12 months ago was because of trainer and owner error,” he explained.

“We told Jay Ford to ride her back, and they walked up front.

“And when she ran third at Hawkesbury at her next start, she never got clear until close to the line and flew to finish third, beaten only a half-length.”

Whilst Ryan understandably is thrilled with such a successful season, he isn’t resting on his laurels.

He goes back to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday – provided it isn’t a very heavy track – with Gosford debut winner Just Awesome.

The youngster steps up to city grade in the 2YO Handicap (1100m), and Regan Bayliss has been booked.

A son of Written Tycoon, Ryan’s colt won a Maiden Plate (1100m) against his own age at Gosford on June 19, and his trainer says he is ready to go to town.

Story John Curtis, June 29, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos