Imported gallopers Clondaw Warrior, Ivan Grozny and Bold Bandit entered Ryan’s Warrnambool stables on Saturday after time in quarantine and the trio will be aimed at feature jumping races at the 2018 May carnival.

“Clondaw Warrior and Ivan Grozny are the highest rating jumpers that have come to Australia,” Ryan said. “They come here very well credentialled, but they must now adapt to our conditions and racing.

“Both horses were previously trained by champion trainer Willie Mullins and had been entered for the Sydney and Melbourne cups over the last two years.

“Bold Bandit is not rated as highly as the other two, but he’s a nice type. He must also get used to our conditions. I’m not sure at this stage which feature jumping races they will run in at the May carnival, but that’s the path the trio will be going down.”

Ryan is upbeat about the chances of his star jumper I’ll’ava’alf for next year’s Grand Annual Steeplechase and another imported jumper John Monash, who failed to live up to expectations this season.

“I’m lucky that I’ve got great support from a group of loyal owners and the race we want to win is the Grand Annual,” he said.

“I’ll’ava’alf ran third in this year’s Annual. He’s been a great horse for his connections having won the 2016 Crisp Steeplechase and ran second in the Thackeray Steeplechase.

“We’ll set I’ll’ava’alf  for the Great Eastern at Oakbank on Easter Monday and the Grand Annual. He’ll be spelled after those runs and set for the rich Jericho Cup on the flat at Warrnambool in November next year.

“We had a couple of minor issues with John Monash, but he’s over them. We’ll set him for a restricted steeplechase at the Warrnambool carnival.”

Ryan won the 2008 Warrnambool Cup with Video Star.

DUNKELD Racing Club officials were ecstatic about crowd numbers and behaviour of more than 10,000 patrons who attended its annual race meeting on Saturday.

Club manager Karen Van Kempen said fine weather was a key component to the modern-day record crowd.

“It’s the best crowd we’ve had in over eight years,” she said. “It just shows we’re doing something right, which is rewarding for the hard work the committee put into the event. We had perfect weather which really helps. We predominantly have a young crowd who get the chance to get caught up in the racing atmosphere.”

Plans are already under way to build on the success of this year’s meeting going forward to 2018.

“The committee will have a debrief among ourselves over the next few days,” she said. “The early talks among the committee after the meeting was we need more ATM machines. We only had four ATMs and there were long lines during the afternoon. We’ll bolster that up to eight ATMs for next year, and we’ll also look at putting some large television monitors in the bookmakers shed. The club will also look at what other capital works can be done so patrons can enjoy the racing experience.”

Dunkeld’s cup meeting next year will be run on November 17.

CONSISTENT Colac mare Another Diamond gave her backers no need to worry after 100 metres from the start in a restricted race over 1200 metres, according to trainer Bill Cerchi.

Another Diamond jumped from barrier one and was too strong for Daffey Dux and Favonski in the $20,000 race.

Cerchi said the five-year-old mare was now hard to place due to her consistency.

“Another Diamond just drew an ideal barrier in one,” he said. “She just jumped and ran. The race was over not long after the start. She’s very good on her day. 

“She’s a tough mare to place now because there are no fillies and mares races in the country for her.

“We’ll have to look at going to town with her because she’ll be weighted out of races in the country.”

Royal Spinner and Menegatti, trained by Cerchi, pleased the colourful trainer with their efforts in restricted races. “I thought it was a huge run by Royal Spinner to run second,” he said.

“Royal Spinner was slow to muster speed from the gates and then was trapped three and four wide for most of the race.

“Horses can’t be three and four wide around Dunkeld and win. His run was full of merit while I thought Menegatti never had much luck in the run.”

Royal Spinner and Menegatti may have there next runs at the Colac Christmas meeting on December 16.

MORE than 100 horses will be offered at the Inglis December Thoroughbred Sale on December 8. 

Godolphin has 15 lots including Group 2 winner Morton’s Fork and stakes performers Bezel, Demonstrate and Grunderzeit in the sale, while Lindsay Park Racing is offering 10 horses including group placegetter Foundation.

WARRNAMBOOL trainer Matthew Williams took the training honours at Geelong on Sunday, winning two of the seven races.

Williams was successful with Paremuus Boy and Maeve In Manhattan.

Jockey Damian Thornton had a big weekend, riding three winners at Dunkeld on Saturday followed by a maiden for Williams on Maeve In Manhattan.