“At the moment, I think 1400 is his maximum,” he said.
“Pedigree says it, and it probably says it until he’s tried it, and there’s not many there who are proven at the 1400.
“There’s some there trying it for the first time and there can be a big difference.
“We’ll just see what happens, but it wouldn’t surprise me if any of them won.”
Regardless of the result, Ryan was excited about what Skyhook could produce in the autumn.
“I’m not sure where he will go after this, we’ll just see him at the 1400m,” he said.
Trainer Gerald Ryan.Credit: Getty Images
“I’m a great believer in pedigrees, and I’ve always said whatever he does as a two-year-old and spring three-year-old, he will be heaps better in the autumn.”
Kerrin McEvoy again rides Skyhook and he was confident after the Run To The Rose finish.
“It was a good run and arguably right there with the winner,” McEvoy said.
“A lot of them have run at 1400, he hasn’t, but you would like to think that he will get it.”
McEvoy, meanwhile, will partner Epsom Handicap favourite Autumn Glow in a 1000m exhibition gallop between races one and two on Saturday. He will ride the unbeaten filly at 54.5kg in the group 1 next week.
Ryan and co-trainer Sterling Alexiou also have King Of Pop and Grand Eagle in the listed Heritage Stakes for three-year-olds at Rosehill.
King Of Pop ($20) was sixth in the San Domenico Stakes and 11th in the Run To The Rose, but Ryan said the Black Opal Stakes winner could hit back from gate one.
“His first-up run, I think they went too fast on him,” he said.
“Second-up, he drew the outside gate and we went back on him. What was interesting in that second-up run, his last 600m was faster than Skyhook’s. And with that good gate this time, we won’t have to go back on him.”
Grand Eagle, which won twice as a two-year-old, came from last to finish a half-length second on the Kensington track in his only run this preparation.
“His pattern is probably not ideal for at 1100m race at Rosehill,” he said.
“He gets back and runs on and not many of them win from back there, but he has to go there. He will be hitting the line hard.”
Adkins on the double for exciting stayer
Andrew Adkins is confident Juja Kibo can give him a second group 1 ride on next week’s Epsom-Metropolitan program at Randwick with victory on Saturday at Rosehill.
Adkins was a late alternate on the Ciaron Maher-trained Juja Kibo, which will chase the Metropolitan start on offer to the winner of the $250,000 group 3 Colin Stephen Quality (2400m).
The five-year-old has won three of his past starts, including 2000m and 2400m victories at Rosehill. He was a $2.35 favourite on Saturday and needs to win to guarantee a spot in the $750,000 Metropolitan (2400m), where he was 65th in the ballot with 50 kilograms.
Andrew Adkins after winning on Fire Star at Rosehill earlier this month.Credit: Getty Images
Adkins is already booked to ride Joe Pride-trained El Castello, which he trialled at Randwick on Friday, at 51kg in the $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) that day.
“I identified him a little way out as a horse I wanted to get on and once I was able to lock him in for the Metrop, I was able to get the ride on Saturday as well,” Adkins said of securing a first ride on Juja Kibo.
“I haven’t sat on him yet, but he’s obviously a very promising horse, a good stayer.
“His wins have been quite dominant, he does it quite comfortably. He switches off well, and quickens up well.
Ethan Brown riding Juja Kibo.Credit: Getty Images
“He relaxes like a good stayer then sprints like a sprinter, which is all the attributes you want in a stayer. His form is obviously holding up, and he’s a very, very good horse to ride in that race tomorrow and hopefully the Metrop. I’m excited.”
The 28-year-old former champion Sydney apprentice is coming off a resurgent season in which he had two listed wins, 13 city victories and 65 overall.
“It’s good because I’ve been working really hard, and it’s good to receive the rewards on two really nice horses in two really good races,” he said.
Loading
“I’m really thankful for the support I’m getting.”
Adkins was happy with El Castello’s work on Friday and his first-up fourth, off a long injury lay-off, in the Theo Marks Stakes (1300m).
“It was a really good run first-up, considering that distance was not suitable, off the back of a slow speed, and they sprinted very quickly home. He ran really good sectionals. It was a terrific run and going up to the mile off a tick-over trial is nice. The blinkers go on and he will be primed ready to go.”