Wet could delay Making Mayhem’s return

Track Nick Ryan isn’t expecting his recent run of success to continue when Making Mayhem returns to racing at Pakenham.

Ryan had four winners in succession before Friday’s Mornington meeting.

Making Mayhem hasn’t raced for more than a year after being sidelined with a tendon injury and Ryan is keeping a weather watch before a final decision whether the gelding starts in Saturday’s John Duff & Co Handicap (1000m).

“They’ve had plenty of rain at Pakenham and I’ll be monitoring the reports on Saturday,” Ryan said.

“First-up, off a tendon injury on a heavy track, I just don’t want to risk him.”

Ryan said the wet weather in Melbourne over the past couple of weeks had been disruptive.

He had the six-year-old down to run at Sandown last week but pulled him out because of the heavy conditions.

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Ryan said he had followed the advice of fellow trainer Robert Smerdon to get Making Mayhem back to the track.

“He had about six months out and then a lot of rehabilitation on the water walker and on the treadmill,” Ryan said.

“Nowadays he does mainly all his gallops on the treadmill and slow work on the track.

“I’ve taken a lot from Robert Smerdon who has had a lot of horses come back from tendon injuries and how he uses the treadmill.”

Ryan doesn’t expect Making Mayhem to be at his best until he gets out to 1400m or 1500m but said he’s fit enough for his first-up run after a second in a Cranbourne trial on November 14.

“He trialled really well at Cranbourne,” Ryan said.

“While he’s won first-up before that was in his younger days.

“I just want to see him running on and passing a few in the straight.”