Rubick To Contest BTC Cup

Trainer Gerald Ryan has confirmed that talented sprinter Rubick will make the trip to Brisbane for the 2015 BTC Cup at Doomben next Saturday.

Rubick will have the chance to finish his racing career as a Group 1 winner when he contests the 2015 BTC Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Rubick will have the chance to finish his racing career as a Group 1 winner when he contests the 2015 BTC Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Rubick started his 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on March 7 and he was well-backed in the lead-up to the race, but he was blocked for a run at a key stage of a race and he could finish no better than third behind Miracles Of Life.

The Encosta De Lago entire was well-backed once again in the lead-up to the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21, but he was unable to play a part in the finish of the race and he produced a relatively flat performance in the Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint (1200m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.

There was speculation that Rubick could be sent to the spelling paddock and potentially not have another race start before he begins a new career as a stallion, but he impressed Ryan with his performance in a trackwork gallop this morning and will head to Queensland for the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m).

Coolmore Australia revealed last weekend that Rubick will be retired at the end of the racing season to begin a new career as a stallion and Ryan believes that the son of Encosta De Lago can have plenty of success at stud.

“He has one of the best pedigrees you could have and I think he will make a grouse stallion,” Ryan said.

“That was the whole idea of purchasing him in the first place.

“He is a lovely colt and a very fast horse.

“All the good stallions are fast horses whether they produce stayers or not.”

Rubick will stand at Coolmore Hunter Valley-based stud and he will stand alongside the likes of Adelaide, Choisir, Declaration Of War, Excelebration, Fastnet Rock, Holy Roman Emperor, Pierro, So You Think, Uncle Mo, Verrazano and Zoffany.

The 2015 BTC Cup nominations will be released tomorrow, but the initial entries for the Group 1 event are set to include Team Hawkes-trained Our Boy Malachi, Victory Stakes winner Srikandi, Group 1 winner Temple Of Boom, veteran gelding Speediness, the progressive Craftiness, the returning El Roca, injury-plagued sprinter Cape Kidnappers, Rod Northam-trained Big Money and Joe Pride-trained Ball Of Muscle.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.