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Craig Kerry
July 16, 2026 — 5:00pm
Co-trainer Sterling Alexiou hopes a lightweight Epsom chance emerges and another comeback galloper rewards the stable’s patience at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Alexiou and Gerald Ryan yard will chase the Winter Stakes-Winter Challenge double with General Salute, which has overcome hoof problems and bone-chip surgery to earn $869,000 on the track.
The five-year-old bounced back from a disappointing Civic Stakes (1400m) run to win the Winter Stakes (1400m) last start by a length. He was a $4.80 second elect for the listed 1500m Winter Challenge on Saturday, where he will attempt to win for the first time beyond 1400m.
Alexiou said “the step up to 1500 won’t worry him” and he believed a strong run could lead to General Salute being set for the group 1 Epsom Handicap over the mile at Randwick on October 3.
“We did intend to pull up stumps after his last start, but he came through it that well we thought if he could run well up to 1500, that would give us a bit of an inkling about him being a possible lightweight Epsom hope, given he handles the sting out of the track, which could come that time of year,” Alexiou said.
“He would only have a brief freshen up off the back of Saturday and then take that Bill Ritchie, Tramway Stakes path.
“He’s not an easy horse to train. He has got a lot of little issues you’ve got to keep on top of, but if you do, he can be very, very straightforward because he doesn’t take a lot of work.”
The Rosehill stable has also had to be patient with Franz Josef, which returns in the eighth on Saturday, a benchmark 88 handicap over 1300m.
The Snitzel five-year-old has not raced since November 2024, after injuring a tendon in training and heading back to owners Ron and Judy Wanless to recover. He was given two trials in March before having another three months off. He has produced two sharp trials since and was $6 to make a winning return.
Franz Josef won four of his first five starts before struggling in tougher races.
“He’s going well and he’ll improve off whatever he does Saturday,” Alexiou said.
“He’s quite a big horse, so he’s got good fitness improvement to come. In saying that, he’s going well enough if he got the right sort of run in a race like that, he’d be right in the finish.
“He’s a classy galloper. He’s got a few donuts in his form, but we’ve probably run him in the wrong race because they weren’t in the right races around for him at the time. His record should probably read better than it does.
“I think he’s in for a good preparation. He handles a firm deck and handles it wet, so he’s very versatile.”
Rosehill was a soft 5 on Thursday with rain expected overnight and on Friday.
Alexiou hoped the rain held off for Sequista, which was $5.50 for the sixth, a benchmark 78 1200m race for fillies and mares. She was second last start after three unplaced runs this preparation.
“She’s going really well and I think getting back onto a firm track would be a massive tick for her,” he said.
“She runs well on all surfaces, but I think she’s most effective when she finds dry ground.
“Not a lot of things have been going right for her, but if she can get a bit of luck, on a decent deck, she’ll take a lot of beating.”
