Making his first start since finishing third at Randwick on Boxing Day, the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Ellsberg made every post a winner in Saturday’s Listed Bisley Workwear South Pacific Stakes (1400m) to become the second stakes-winner for his deceased sire Spill The Beans.
A second consecutive winner for Tim Clark, the lightly weighted Ellsberg defeated Private Eye (Al Maher) by three lengths with Rainbow Connection (Choisir) a short-neck back in third.
On the board in all his starts to date, Ellsberg advances his record to three wins a second and two thirds from six starts with earnings of $205,700.
“We have always had a very good opinion of him,” Ryan aid.
“We tried to get him to the Magic Millions but he was the first emergency and never got a run, which proved a blessing.
“From that day we set him for this race. We may start him in the Hawkesbury Guineas or the Queensland guineas, but I would love to get the horse of a mile or 1800m where he can dictate. I think there is a really good race in him.
“Tim is two for two on him and he rated these horses really well. With 53kg on his back against that class, and he was prepped to win first-up, if he couldn’t do it today I would have to rethink my ideas about him.”
Bred by Hillside Downs, Ellsberg is a two-time veteran of the sales ring. Purchased by Segenhoe Stud for $50,000 out of the Kitchwin Hills draft at the2018 National Weanling Sale, Ellsberg was bought by Gerald Ryan Racing for $280,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Ellsberg is the most expensive yearling by his short-lived sire.
The 3yo son of Spill The Beans is the only winner from three to race out of the winning General Nediym mare Lady Liberty who was sold by Aquis Farm last year for $8,500 Inglis 2020 June (Early) Online Sale.
Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/Gerald Ryan Racing went to $160,000 to secure a full-sister to Ellsberg out of the KBL Thoroughbreds draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Love Of Liberty has a Divine Prophet weanling filly and was covered by Shamus Award last year,
