Tim Clark was happy to stick to the fence on hot favourite Ellsberg, who railed like a greyhound when capturing Saturday’s Group III Cellarbrations Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Randwick with a minimum of fuss.
Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou’s admirably honest son of Spill The Beans proved a class above his five rivals. He defeated the Shamus Award gelding Brutality by three and a quarter lengths, with the Ward Front gelding Blue Soldier a half-head back in third.
It was a third stakes win for Ellsberg advancing his record to six wins, five seconds, and two thirds from 15 starts with earnings of $838,850.
“His wet track form is quite good. He’s had five starts on wet ground and hasn’t missed a place, but he won on a heavy nine or ten when he won the Festival,” Ryan said.
“He is such an honest horse. I was a little bit worried having a look at him during the week. He’s a heavy horse, he might sink too far into it, but he skipped over that pretty good.
“I said to Tim (Clark) when he came out whether he had been near the fence. He said when cantering around, it was OK.
“We watched Gai’s horse he rode in the previous race (Rise Of The Masses), and he was the closest to the fence and ran well, so I said stay to the fence. It worked out alright, nothing had been there.
“He’s in the Doncaster. The plan was to run here first up and go to the 1500m in a fortnight in the Ajax, then three weeks into the Doncaster. His first-up form is very good. His second-up form is not quite as dominant, and his third-up run, he bounces back, so that will be the plan.”
Bred by Hillside Downs, Ellsberg is a two-time veteran of the sales ring. Purchased by Segenhoe Stud for $50,000 out of the Kitchwin Hills draft at the2018 National Weanling Sale, Ellsberg was bought by Gerald Ryan Racing for $280,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Ellsberg is the most expensive yearling by Aquis Stud’s short-lived son of Snitzel.
He is the only winner from three to race out of the winning General Nediym mare Lady Liberty, who Aquis Farm sold for $8,500 Inglis 2020 June (Early) Online Sale.
Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/Gerald Ryan Racing went to $160,000 to secure a full-brother to Ellsberg out of the KBL Thoroughbreds draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Myrtle House/Edward Cummings went to $50,000 to secure Love Of Liberty’s Divine Prophet filly at the Magic Millions in January.
After delivering a Shamus Award colt last spring, Love Of Liberty revisited the Rosemont Stud stallion again but missed.
