RYAN’S ROUGHIE GIVES HER A HUGE FLEMINGTON THRILL

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SARA Ryan likened her first Melbourne Cup carnival experience yesterday to winning the Big Dance at Royal Randwick.

The dual Wyong and Victorian trainer, who now also operates out of historic Macedon Lodge at Mount Macedon, didn’t win the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington as Attractable did in taking the $3m feature three years ago.

But she admitted today that $81 roughie Girl With A Pearl’s gallant second, splitting $3.60 favorites De Armas and Icelady, was just as emotional as the Big Dance.

“I cried,” she said. “It was such a thrill to see the filly run such a great race.

“Girl With A Pearl was given to me to train when I took over at Macedon Lodge a couple of months ago, and that was only her third start for me (she had finished fourth at Seymour over 1200m in May).”

“Whilst she was one of the Wakeful outsiders, she had worked well and I expected her to get a nice run from a favorable draw.”

Girl With A Pearl, a daughter of Johannes Vermeer and bred by her owners Marshall Thoroughbreds, was first emergency for the Wakeful.

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Ryan also accepted with her at Wangaratta on Tuesday in a 2000m Maiden Plate as a safeguard.

However she made the Wakeful field when Fringilla came out before the 7.30am scratching deadline yesterday (and Anglaiswas later taken out at 12 midday by Racing Victoria stewards).

Girl With a Pearl was not nominated for Thursday’s Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington, and there is no longer a late entry clause for the fillies’ classic in any case.

However, Ryan is not perturbed about that, and is looking longer term with the filly.

“Girl With A Pearl physically and mentally is not there yet,” she said.

“She will go for a spell to develop further, and our target later in the season is the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm in June during the winter carnival.”

Ryan has 30 horses in work, most of them “babies”, at Macedon Lodge, and is enjoying her new challenge, albeit needing to travel between the two States to spend important time at each of her bases.

“It’s a beautiful property,” she said. “I’m very fortunate to be given the opportunity to train there.”

With Girl With A Pearl obviously not running at Wangaratta, Ryan still will have runners at Muswellbrook on Tuesday.

She has Binit in the 3YO Maiden Plate (1000m), and Waveton in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1000m).

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But Ryan will be soaking up the atmosphere at Flemington on Tuesday, along with keeping an eye on the Muswellbrook meeting.

“I’ve never been to a Melbourne Cup, and I’m looking forward to going, and then will be back at Wyong on Wednesday,” she said.

HOOFNOTE: Ryan’s only previous Melbourne runner was Much Much Better from her Wyong stable just over three years ago.

He ran fifth as a $7 chance to It’sourtime in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap on the Flemington straight 1200m course.

Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ talented colt Under Focus ($13) ran well to finish fourth in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington yesterday.

Under Focus’ rails draw proved his undoing as jockey Blake Shinn went back to last on him before getting him out wider on the track to put in his finishing burst.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, NOVEMBER 1, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS