Trapeze Artist can extend to 1600m: Ryan

Trapeze Artist is aiming to add the Randwick Guineas to his Group One Golden Rose win.

Menari has gone amiss and won’t be seen at the Sydney carnival but his stablemate Trapeze Artist is at the top of his game as he aims for a second Group One win.

The two Gerald Ryan-trained colts have spend most of their careers together with Trapeze Artist often overshadowed by the flashy Menari until his win in the Golden Rose in September.

Menari started favourite in that Group One race but it was $41 chance Trapeze Artist who stamped his authority, putting 4-1/4 lengths on Champagne Cuddles with Menari third.

Menari hasn’t raced since, undergoing throat surgery before his recent setback with a fetlock injury.

“He wrenched a fetlock joint and it hasn’t responded quickly enough to get him ready for the Galaxy,” Ryan said.

“We could try for Brisbane but there is a lot in the spring for him and if he can win a Group One sprint then maybe someone will want him to run for them in The Everest.”

While disappointed to send Menari for a spell, Ryan is confident Trapeze Artist can fly the stable flag in Saturday’s Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m).

“He’s bright and well and has improved off his last run,” Ryan said.

“I don’t want too much more rain for him. He is better on a firmer track.”

The Randwick track was in the soft range on Tuesday ahead of a forecast for fine weather before more showers on Friday.

Ryan is also confident Trapeze Artist can handle 1600 metres, a distance at which he is untried.

“Before the Golden Rose he ran a good race in the Stan Fox over 1500 metres and that was before he had his blinkers on,” he said.

I”ve always believed he wold run it. He was going to the Caulfield Guineas after the Golden Rose but he hurt himself so we had to change plans.”

Trapeze Artist won the Group Two weight-for-age Expressway Stakes last month before his fourth in the Hobartville Stakes won by Godolphin colt Kementari who is the dominant $2.25 favourite ahead of Wednesday’s declaration of the final field.

D’Argento, who finished third in the Hobartville is at $4.60 with runner-up Pierata at $6 and Trapeze Artist at $8.