The Listed $160,000 Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton on July 13 is an option for Healy Stakes winner Into The Red.
Into The Red, above, could be heading to the Ramornie Handicap at Grafton. Photo by Daniel Costello.
The Kelso Wood trained Into The Red made it two wins from his last three starts when apprentice Luke Dittman drove him to a nose win over Saluter in the Group 3 $175,000 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm last Saturday.
Into The Red appreciated the hot pace in the Healy Stakes, storming home to record his fifth win from twenty-four starts and Wood said that he would keep the five year old to the short course sprints, with The Ramornie fitting well into that category.
“You need to get him in a race where there’s a lot of speed and if that eventuates then he’s awfully hard to beat,” Wood told AAP.
“He’s a sit-and-sprint horse and when he lets go he can really sprint hard at the end of a race.”
Wood said that Into The Red’s win in the Healy Stakes would give the stable a huge boost after having a lean trot over the last month.
“I’m so pleased he won because my stable has been at a bit of a low ebb,” Wood said.
“The winter carnival has been dominated so far by the southern horses so it’s good to win a race like this.”
The Healy Stakes was Into The Red’s third run back from a long layoff due to a ligament injury the gelding suffered in that race last year, but Wood said the break did the five year old good and he has returned a more mature race horses.
“It allowed him to mature mentally and he’s turned into a lovely horse now,” Wood said.
“The injury he had was always going to heal and he’s only just starting to realise his potential.”
Wood himself is also on the mend from an injured shoulder and Into The Red’s win is certain to help speed up his recovery.
“I dislocated it a few days ago when I slipped over,” Wood said.
Heavyweight apprentice Luke Dittman has teamed up successfully with Into The Red this preparation and has recorded two wins from three rides on the five year old.
