The Epsom Handicap has been bypassed, but the prestigious $10 million Golden Eagle is firmly in trainer Gerald Ryan’s sights for his sprinter-miler, Skyhook.

The four-year-old is scheduled to commence his campaign in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill this Saturday, a timing that effectively eliminates any chance of him contesting the Epsom Handicap (1600m) three weeks later.

“He won’t get to the Epsom. If he runs Saturday here then he’d have to run again in the Shannon (Stakes) and back up. He’s not a back-up horse,” Ryan commented.

“The main aim is to get him to the Golden Eagle. It’s just how we get there.

“The horse doesn’t cop heaps of work, but I will have to give him three of four runs prior to going there.”

The initial phase of this path is the Theo Marks Stakes, where Skyhook has drawn the outermost barrier, 15. However, given the horse’s natural quickness from the gates, Ryan perceives this as a manageable obstacle. He also noted that the horse retains fitness from a Queensland winter carnival campaign and is sufficiently prepared to achieve victory.

Skyhook has consistently been a horse of high calibre, having secured the Pago Pago Stakes as a two-year-old and competed in the Golden Slipper. His class was further underscored at the conclusion of his three-year-old season when he triumphed in the Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) and dominated the Gunsynd Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm.

Ryan attributes Skyhook’s consistent Group-level performances to specific adjustments in his training regimen.

“Between the Arrowfield (3YO Sprint) and Hawkesbury Guineas, I changed a few things with his training, and it really worked,” Ryan stated.

“I started working him sharper, and just did some things like jumped him over a couple of hurdles.

“He’s pretty forward. He only had nineteen days off then three weeks of pre-training at Newington Farm with (former horse trainer) Kacy Fogden. She looked after him up there and he came back in really good order, and he’s had the two good trials as well.”

In a stable switch, Just Party has been withdrawn from the Theo Marks Stakes and will instead be aimed at Saturday’s Listed Tontonan Stakes (1400m) at Flemington, a track Ryan expects the backmarker to perform well on.

Having won the Goulburn Cup (1400m) first-up, Just Party is eligible for The Big Dance (1600m) on Melbourne Cup Day, though connections are reportedly lukewarm about pursuing that particular race.

“We always thought he’d run a journey, and he’s been placed over 1600 metres a couple of times, but we’ve decided to train him as a shorter course horse and see how he goes,” Ryan explained.

“It’s his second preparation as a gelding as well. That can make a difference.

“He’ll come home after Saturday. There’s nothing else down there for him for a couple of weeks, so we’ll bring him home and decide after that.”

Just Party was rated a $4.20 chance for the Tontonan Stakes on Thursday, with Skyhook the $3 favourite for the Theo Marks Stakes. Check out the latest sports betting options for the Theo Marks Stakes.