The plunge isn’t dead
For all the talk that it’s impossible to land a plunge in modern racing, Nick Ryan reminded everyone on Saturday that the art isn’t dead just yet.
Doubt In Time was backed from $31 into $8 on debut before arriving in the final stride to collar the favourite in the two-year-old race. It was a classic Ryan move.
DOUBT TIME ON THE LINE 🤯
What a debut from the Nick Ryan 2YO!@lukecartwrightt @nryanracing pic.twitter.com/H9txdJmXbG
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) July 25, 2026
Very few trainers are better at pulling off a genuine plunge than the Flemington horseman, and he did an outstanding job of keeping this filly under wraps. She had four jump-outs across two preparations, but there was precious little to give the game away.
Her most recent hit-out on the Caulfield Heath was a perfect piece of misdirection. She travelled comfortably throughout, was never asked to extend and coasted through the line under double wraps. Watching it back after Saturday’s win, the clues were there – just very well disguised. In hindsight, I’m filthy with myself for backing Milsons Point, who won the trial, rather than spotting what was hiding in plain sight with Doubt In Time.
One advantage Ryan has is that he rides plenty of his own trackwork. Few trainers have a better feel for exactly where their horses are at, and when the stable decides one is ready to go first-up, history says it’s worth paying attention.
In an era of endless data, trial vision and where markets move at the first whiff of smart money, genuine plunges have become increasingly rare. That’s why it was refreshing to see one executed so well. Full credit to Ryan and everyone involved. The plunge is alive and well.
A fair question for stewards to pose
One of the more interesting steward inquiries from Saturday came after Resolutely’s narrow defeat to Doubt In Time, with Craig Williams questioned over his riding in the closing stages.
Williams explained that after straightening, he rode the filly along to shift into the better ground wider on the track. Once she let down, however, she began laying out under pressure. He told stewards that, rather than continue using the whip, he elected to keep riding hands and heels while showing the whip, believing she was no longer responding and that further use of the stick may have only exacerbated her tendency to shift.
Watching the head-on vision, Resolutely was clearly laying out in the straight. There’s every chance that additional whip use simply unbalances her further rather than finding anything extra.
That said, I can also understand why punters were frustrated. In a race decided by the narrowest of margins, seeing one of Australia’s premier jockeys appearing quite casual late in the race is always going to raise eyebrows.
Farcically run Bletchingly
The opening 400 metres of Saturday’s Bletchingly Stakes was a perfect example of the racing patterns we’ve seen too often this winter.
The tempo through the first third of the race was farcical, with riders seemingly more concerned about finding the perceived best ground than genuinely contesting the lead. The result was a field packed together like sardines approaching the home bend.
COSMIC CRUSADER A CLASS ABOVE‼️
A Spring contender emerges in the Bletchingly Stakes! The Group 1 winner has toyed with them to give Andrea Leek her first Group success 🩷@danielstack33 pic.twitter.com/Vs3K97IwaO
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) July 25, 2026
None of this is to detract from Cosmic Crusader’s performance. He was dominant and, in my opinion, wins regardless of how the race is run. He’s a proper horse and can add an eastern state Group 1 to his CV.
The reality, though, is that this became little more than an 800-metre dash. Horses that were hard fit and deeper into their preparations never had the opportunity to use that fitness, while it created the perfect scenario for a horse like Cosmic Crusader, who was first-up off just one jump-out. Rather than being forced to do any work early from an awkward draw, he was able to settle within striking distance before producing the superior turn of foot we know he possesses.
Before anyone jumps down my throat, that’s an observation rather than a criticism of the winner.
You could throw a blanket over the field as they turned for home
Spring can’t come soon enough for MRC tracks
The MRC tracks have copped plenty of heat this winter – and, in many cases, rightly so.
What Saturday punters may have missed, however, was just how disappointingly Sandown Hillside raced on Wednesday. Despite receiving barely any rain in the lead-up and being posted a Soft 6, the inside half of the track was effectively a no-go zone. For a surface long regarded as one of Australia’s premier winter tracks, it was a frustrating watch.
Caulfield has also come under sustained criticism and, while it again raced only fairly on Saturday, part of that may have been self-inflicted. By Race 3, jockeys were already steering four and five horses off the fence around the home turn, seemingly convinced the better ground was well away from the rail.
Head on as they came around the bend in race three:
The evidence wasn’t quite so clear-cut.
In Race 1, 40/1 outsider Glasgow Miss wasn’t beaten far after sticking close to the inside in a race run at a genuine tempo that suited those making ground. Later in the afternoon, Beach Pad ran third at double-figure odds hugging the fence, while Celtics and Mahershala both rattled home into the minor placings in the final event after enjoying economical rails runs.
Having walked the track on Friday, I thought lanes three and wider were still slightly superior, but nowhere near to the extent they had been at previous meetings this winter. At some point, jockeys have to weigh up the trade-off between searching for marginally better footing and conceding significant ground by circling the field. Too often this winter we’ve seen messy races where leaders have been more concerned with getting away from the fence than simply riding the race on their merits. It seems once one jockey – likely a senior jockey – wants to avoid the inside they all quickly follow suit. Fortune favours the brave, maybe it’s time to get a bit more tactical.
A couple to follow
The best horses don’t always star on a Saturday afternoon.
Myhro’s Ruler (Echuca, Race 2, Friday) probably flew under the radar given he resumed in a maiden at 1.10pm on a Friday, but those watching would’ve been taken with the performance. He put a space on his rivals first-up, ran excellent time and looked to have plenty in hand. I think he’s city class and wouldn’t surprise if he measures up quickly when he gets there.
Echuca Race 2 | Myhro’s Ruler
That was impressive 😤 The 2YO gelding streaks away for a dominant win down the straight 🔥
📺 Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/kjf1JhU6gc— Racing.com (@Racing) July 24, 2026
Likewise Pocketfullofcash, who made his debut in Race 1 at Pakenham on Monday. Even fewer punters are tuned into a two-year-old maiden at 12.30pm on a Monday, but the Reece Goodwin-trained gelding announced himself in style. He bounced straight to the front, controlled the race from the outset and was never seriously challenged, stopping the clock in scintillating time. Like Myhro’s Ruler, I expect he’ll win races in town.
Pakenham Race 1 | Pocketfullofcash
Smart debutant! The 2YO justifies the early market support with an impressive win 😀 @RGoodwinRacing @LNeindorf
🥇 Tipped by @NickoNoonan
📺 Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/ih0CX4OkxD— Racing.com (@Racing) July 20, 2026
