Classy colt Rubick has set up a thrilling clash with Earthquake in the 2014 Blue Diamond Stakes in a fortnights time after winning the Group 3 Blue Diamond Colts And Geldings Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield this afternoon.
Rubick maintained his favoritism for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes with an impressive win in the Rubiton Stakes at Caulfield this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Rubick was only fair out of the barriers and jockey Brenton Avdulla was forced to kick the colt up to the lead on the rails; with plenty of speed coming from the outside of the field.
The Encosta De Lago colt kicked clear coming around the final turn and was able to hold off the impressive Jabali, the fast-finishing Chivalry and the unlucky Nostradamus in the final stage of the race.
Trainer Gerald Ryan was satisfied with the performance of the two-year-old and is hopeful that he will take plenty of improvement into the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 22.
“He will improve off it,” Ryan said after the race.
“He did a lot of work in the race early and probably drilled a bit at the start
“He had to ride him up to get there and he maintained his speed throughout.
“To me, walking over from the stable he looked like he would improve on it and I think that the horse will.
“They are never across the line in a Group 1, but it was a good pass and there are plenty of ticks.”
Rubick did not jump from the barriers particularly well, but Ryan said that he was not concerned with the juvenile replicating that in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
“I am no concerned; he will learn quickly.
“He is in strange surroundings, he has only been here four days, and he will improve on it.”
The 2014 Blue Diamond Stakes has always been the major autumn goal for Rubick and Ryan revealed that the valuable colt, who had a ten percent share purchased by Coolmore Stud this morning, could head to the spelling paddock after running in the Group 1 event, rather than push on to the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5.
“He will just wind down the next three or four days, like he did last time, and we will prepare him for a fortnight.
“We might stop him after that and bring him back as a spring three-year-old.
“It (the Golden Slipper) is a long way away.”
The Blue Diamond Colts And Geldings Prelude was run in the exact same time as the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude, which was won by Earthquake earlier in the day; with the two talented juveniles set to battle for favoritism in 2014 Blue Diamond Stakes betting markets.
