General Salute is facing a significant weight challenge due to his consistent performances, but co-trainer Gerald Ryan believes the gelding is in peak condition for his upcoming attempt at the $1 million The Hunter at Newcastle.
A winner of two Group 3 races, General Salute is assigned 59kg, just two kilograms shy of the topweight Pericles, who boasts a Group 1 victory and five Group 2 wins to his name.
“The weights, they haven’t missed him,” Ryan commented.
“He’s got a benchmark rating of 111 and he’s only won a Group Three race. He hasn’t even won a Group Two. With these benchmarks, there’s five benchmark points between him and Pericles, and I know it’s a quality handicap, but that’s supposed to be two-and-a-half kilos difference, and there’s only two. Then when you look at the other horses that are supposed to be two-and-a-half kilos less than us, they are.”
“(But) he looks well, probably the best I’ve seen him look. Big, strong. He’s going really well.”
After an initial victory in the Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m), General Salute maintained his effort when finishing fifth in the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) on October 10. He was then given a brief period at a farm before returning to the stable to prepare for Saturday’s $1 million The Hunter (1300m).
This training strategy is a familiar one for Ryan and his training partner Sterling Alexiou, proving effective with General Salute having only two unplaced finishes in his last 13 starts.
“We always space his runs,” Ryan explained. “After he had his last start we sent him to the farm and the water walker for ten days, which we’ve done a few times, and aimed to bring him back for this race fresh-up. That’s why he’s been able to have an extended program. He gets lots of little holidays.”
Tim Clark is set to ride General Salute from barrier 10 in the full field of 16 runners, plus six emergencies.
The race is anticipated to be the final outing for the veteran nine-year-old gelding Coal Crusher, a two-time winner of The Hunter in 2023 and 2025, who will be participating in the meeting for the fifth consecutive year.
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