Arctic Glamour to stamp her class in Dane Ripper

By Glenn Davis

Gerald Ryan and his training partner Sterling Alexiou have Arctic Glamour lining up in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Arctic Glamour - a Kerrin McEvoy mount - steps out for the first time since finishing midfield behind the James Cummings-trained Commemorative in the Group 3 Wenona Girl at Randwick in March.

“Her run first-up was very good but she pulled a muscle two weeks later, so we had to back off her,” co-trainer Ryan said.

“She’s a very good mare but she doesn’t like wet tracks so we’re hoping the weather in Brisbane stays fine.

“A lot of her races have been on soft and shifty tracks which she doesn’t like.

“She showed last year as a three-year-old how good she is when she beat Joliestar who won the (Group 1) Kingsford Smith last week.”

A four-year-old daughter of the American-bred sire Frosted, Arctic Glamour has won only twice and placed five times in 18 starts.

Both wins were early in her tenure but Ryan's confidence stems from her competing at Group level for most of her career.

Arctic Glamour has competed 14 times in Group races throughout her 18-start career.

She has not won in four attempts at the highest level. 

Arguably her best performance was a close fifth in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick in October last year.

Arctic Glamour also finished second twice from eight attempts at Group 2 level in the Emancipation and Missile Stakes last year.

“Provided the track is good she’ll run well and be very hard to beat before she goes on to the (Group 1) Tatt’s Tiara,” Ryan said.

Ryan has won the Dane Ripper twice when he trained solo, but it’s been 20 years since his last victory with Our Sweet Moss in the 2005 edition.

His only other victory was with Recurring in 2003.

Ryan and Alexiou also hope to claim the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic with Just Party who was only beaten three lengths despite beating three home when 12th in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic at Eagle Farm on June 4.

Just Party earned his trip to Queensland at his previous start when second in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas on a heavy track on May 3.

“He had his program turned upside down when the Eagle Farm meeting was washed out recently and 1350 metres around Doomben last time was never his go,” Ryan said.

“He’s right up to these horses on Saturday.”