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Patience can deliver a worthy reward when the unraced Astra Wally makes his debut for the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou camp at Kembla Grange on Saturday.
Gerald Ryan and Alexiou have waited until his three-year-old season to unleash their promising gelding, who steps out for the first time under race conditions in the Nelson, Butterbean Maiden Handicap (1200m).
Astra Wally only had his first two trials at the end of his two-year-old season in June and July, the latest of which he finished alongside the Group 3 winner Sebonack.
While Sebonack will kick off his spring campaign for the Hawkes team in the Listed-Rosebud at Rosehill on Saturday at $4.80, Astra Wally faces a substantially easier assignment for his debut.
Gerald Ryan [pictured left] has enlisted the services of Rory Hutchings for Astra Wally's first start and the Kiwi-born jockey will be able to take advantage from a good draw in barrier three.
"From where he has drawn, I'd expect he can go down there and be competitive for sure," Ryan said.
"His trials have been good and his work has been good so he looks like he is a nice horse."
Astra Wally is by Flying Artie, the former speed machine who placed in a Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper at two before winning the stallion-making Coolmore Stud Stakes as a three-year-old.
He went to stud in 2017, making Astra Wally a part of his second crop of yearlings. The promising talent has taken time to learn his craft.
"Astra Wally has taken a bit of time and has been a work in progress to get going," Ryan said. "He can be a bit like the Flying Arties, he can be a bit highly strung.
"This time around he has come right around, which has been nice to see."
Astra Wally was $5.50 out to $7 when TAB markets opened for Saturday's affair with the Chris Waller-trained Ignacio well supported from $4.20 into $2.40 favourite.
John Sargent's The Seven Seas had opened favourite for the second event before drifting from $3.40 to $4.20 second elect.
Ryan and Alexiou are set to have a busy Saturday of racing with teams of runners at Kembla Grange and Rosehill.
The stable also has Emancipist (race four-$8.50), Eurydice (race five-$10) and Rebel County (race nine-$2.80 fav) among the acceptors at Kembla while Psychiatrist ($81) will fly the flag for the stable in the Listed Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill.
