Boom horse Ripcord hunts Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes redemption after making an ‘idiot’ of trainer Luke Fernie

WA trainer Luke Fernie cancelled a trip to Melbourne after his talented galloper was beaten first-up, but he’s now excited heading into the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes.

Ripcord launched to win the Placid Ark Stakes for trainer Luke Fernie and jockey Clint Johnston-Porter. Picture: Western Racepix

Perth trainer Luke Fernie thought so much of boom horse Ripcord he nominated him for the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes in Melbourne during the spring but was left thinking he was anything but that following his first-up defeat this preparation.

On Saturday, Fernie will look for revenge when Ripcord lines up in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) on his home deck after his win in the Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) went viral earlier this month.

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Fernie always knew Ripcord had a serious motor but hadn’t seen it all come together until that performance, where he swooped from near last at the top of the straight to win in devastating fashion.

“I had him nominated for the Coolmore and then he got beat first-up, so I scratched him from that before I even walked in the mounting enclosure because I was filthy,” Fernie said.

“I was thinking ‘you idiot, you’ve got this all wrong’, but I just had to put a set of visors on him to sharpen him up.”

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With three Group 1 starters in his career, Fernie said Ripcord is his best chance to grab a major, but warns his last-start win may have been made to look better than it actually was.

A 2YO stakes winner on debut, Ripcord takes flight again in the $500k Listed @TAB_touch Placid Ark Stakes over 1200m at Ascot.

By @widdenstud’s Written By, Ripcord was sold by Barador Stud & Phoenix Broodmare Farm to Luke Ferrie for $40,000 at the 2021 @mmsnippets National… pic.twitter.com/nClNrsOreP

— Aushorse (@Aushorse_TBA) November 18, 2023

“Obviously it is a massive step up from the other day but it will be good to see where he lines up at that class,” he said.

“He has the weights swing in his favour, so it will be interesting to see how he takes it.

“I have always thought he was really good but it might have been sugar-coated a little bit, there might have been some slow ones in front of him that made him look faster than what he was.

“We won’t know that until next week, but I have always thought he had a big motor.

“It looked like he was motoring, it is pretty exciting when they do that.”

Jockey Clint Johnston-Porter will again be in saddle in the Winterbottom, where he is a $8 third favourite behind Overpass ($2.80) and Triple Missile ($6).

Originally published as Boom horse Ripcord hunts Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes redemption after making an ‘idiot’ of trainer Luke Fernie