STRAWBERRY READY TO MAKE ANOTHER “IMPACT”

BLAKE Ryan at first was disappointed when Strawberry Impact didn’t win at Kembla Grange earlier in the month.

But a subsequent event has erased the Hawkesbury trainer’s letdown and influenced him to give the lightly-raced three-year-old his first start in town at Royal Randwick tomorrow.

And he has been able to book apprentices’ premiership front-runner Braith Nock to partner him in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m).

“When Strawberry Impact loomed up at Kembla Grange in a Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1600m) on May 6, I thought he was going to win,” Ryan said today.

“I walked away that day a bit disappointed wondering if either he had not run out the 1600m or wasn’t happy on the heavy track.

“However Good Prize, which beat him that day, came out and won again at Warwick Farm on Wednesday (his fourth victory on end), so the form is certainly good.

“I don’t mind bringing horses back from 1600m to 1400m, and he has bounced out of that Kembla race really well.

“I’m not concerned about Strawberry Impact’s wide draw tomorrow given the track will be heavy.

“It was a ‘Heavy 8’ at Kembla, and the only thing I can’t guarantee is him handling a ‘Heavy 10’ tomorrow.

“If he does, I’m sure he will run really well.”

Ryan has trained 10 winners so far this season (he runs Queen Of Thorns on Canberra’s synthetic track later today); only three short of his benchmark 13 last season.

Strawberry Impact was a $100,000 purchase at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale, and did not begin racing until February 15 when a close fifth in a 1200m Midway Maiden Handicap (1200m) at Newcastle.

He hasn’t missed a placing since, with a runaway Kembla Grange 1400m Maiden Plate success on March 22 sandwiched between three seconds.

In an open Midway Benchmark 72 market, Strawberry Impact was an $8 chance on Friday morning.

First Mission, to be ridden by Hawkesbury apprentice Zac Wadick and trained by Ryan’s father Gerald jointly with Sterling Alexiou at Rosehill Gardens, was the $4 favorite ahead of Flying Embers ($5), to be ridden by Newcastle apprentice William Stanley.

Hawkesbury trainer Jason Attard has $6 third favorite Oui Oui Oui (Tom Sherry), but is not certain he will run the Yes Yes Yes filly on the heavy track.

Oui Oui Oui ran eighth to Media World on a ‘Heavy 8’ in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) on May 3.

Story John Curtis, May 23, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos