Gerald Ryan rates his Snitzel colt Top Drop very highly and the three year-old will take on more seasoned horses in the STC Soft As Soap Hcp (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Ryan won’t be only one riding Top Drop home. Brackley Park owner Damian White will also be on board because his new stallion Globetrotter is booked to cover Top Drop’s second dam Kilspindie.
Top Drop (3c Snitzel – Fine Red by Red Ransom) was only beaten two lengths by Toorak Toff in the G1 Golden Rose a fortnight ago. At his penultimate start, the colt was beaten a similar margin by Blackball in the G3 Up And Coming Stakes after being blocked for a run in the straight.
“Top Drop is a very handy horse,” Ryan said this week. “He was caught wide from an outside gate in the Golden Rose but, then again, he could have been knocked down like the others if he was any closer to the fence.
“I’m not in a hurry to take on Toorak Toff, either. He could be a champion.”
Ryan was initially tossing up whether to keep Top Drop in Sydney or take him to Melbourne. He has elected to pitch him in against older horses at Rosehill tomorrow and that could be the catalyst for a return to winning form.
Top Drop was a Rosehill winner second time out in January and the step up to 1500m should also work in his favour on his home track. He is by Arrowfield Stud sire Snitzel and is the first foal of Fine Red who is an unraced daughter of Listed VRC St Leger winner Kilspindie (Danehill).
Kilspindie is a sister to Caulfield stakes winner Brackenbury and half sister to Flemington stakes winner Rullene (Rory’s Jester). She is owned by Eagle Ridge breeder Peter Ward and was covered by Glenlogan Park sire Real Saga last year.
Globetrotter impressed visitors at Brackley Park’s open day last month when he paraded with Storm Cat sire Deadly Storm. Damian White has set his introductory fee at $8,800 (inc gst).
Globetrotter is a son of Darley’s international G1 sire Street Cry from a Seattle Slew mare. He was a 2YO winner of the G3 Grey Breeders’ Cup Stakes (1700m) at Woodbine but missed the following year with a leg injury.
The big chestnut resumed as a four year-old and won a Santa Anita allowance event before finishing second to Midships in the G1 Charles Whittingham Memorial at Hollywood Park. He aggravated the leg injury in the Memorial and was retired with a 6: 3-2-0 career card.
Globetrotter is filling fast at his Avenel base and mares already booked include;
QUIET ROCK (Rock Of Gibraltar) From a half-sister to G1 Australian Cup winner Starstruck (Haulpak).
GIVE HER WINGS (Bluebird) From the immediate family of NZ bred G1 winners Domino, Sale Of Century, (Kiwi), Hero & Linky Dink. She is in foal to Darley sire Ad Valorem on a November 2009m cover
SHANTINA (Fasliyev) Half-sister to G3 Flemington winner Great Is Great (Desert Sun)..
OUR YANGTZE RIVER (Zabeel) G3 winner of SAJC Birthday Cup and dam of Adelaide winner Royal Yangtze. Half sister to the dam of the South African G2 winner Bishops Rock from the G1 family of Riverina Charm and Neroli.
SECOND INNINGS (Rubiton) half-sister to Listed VRC Bagot Hcp winner Southern Crown (Chief’s Crown).
SHEBOOM (Jugah) Sister to Sir Boom (15 wins including the G2 Memsie Stakes –twice).
CARRY THE GREEN (Carry The Crown) Dam of Flemington stakes winner Cianara and a half sister to the stakes winner Dartmouth.
PREDICTIONS (Western Symphony) Dam of the G3 winner Great Is Great. Half sister to the stakes performers Dedalus and Stop Flirting.
SAKURA FAIR (Falbrav) From a half sister to Hong Kong G1 winner Archipenko. Hails from the world-class family of Sadler’s Wells, Fairy King and Nureyev.
Damian White can be contacted for further information on 0418 477 090