Smart filly RUBINOCCHI burst back to form with a scintillating 4.5 length victory at Canterbury Wednesday confirming trainer Joe Pride’s healthy opinion of the RUBICK 3YO.
Having won two of her first 4 starts, the $45k yearling failed to win in a trio of starts over the summer, surprising Pride.
However, after identifying RUBINOCCHI was struggling with the heat at Warwick Farm, Joe spelled her with a view to returning to work in the cooler months of autumn and winter. Wednesday’s victory therefore was a very satisfying one for the trainer and the jockey Sam Clipperton who’d steered her to a maiden victory at Kembla in June last year.
“Once I got to the lead, it was just a matter of holding her together as she wasn’t really comfortable in that heavy ground. That’s a good sign,” said Clipperton post-race.
A long way from a BM64 on a Wednesday at Canterbury to stakes company but the timing of the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes at Scone on May 14 looks an attractive target.
“We’re three and a bit weeks away from that Scone race and we’re bound to get a dry track up there,” Joe exclaimed.
It was RUBINOCCHI’S third victory from just 8 starts and completes a remarkable run of good fortune for the PROVEN team with the progeny of RUBICK. Of the quartet to race in the last couple of years, ALL are now city winners headed by CONTEMPTUOUS in QLD along with RED RUBI and KARAOKE QUEEN.
The winner tally for PROVEN is now 49 for the season and pleasing to report we have another trio of RUBICK’S on the market at very reasonable prices to be prepared by both Joe Pride and O’Dea/Hoysted. See our AVAILABLE HORSES page for more details…