Mark and Levi Kavanagh-trained Lounge Bar Rubi to improve sharply second-up at Sandown

An unplaced first-up run and moderate trackwork won’t be any impediment to an improved run from the Mark and Levi Kavanagh-trained Lounge Bar Rubi at Sandown.

Lounge Bar Rubi should be a significant improver when he has his second-up run at Sandown on Saturday. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images.

It’s fortunate trainers Mark and Levi Kavanagh know not to take too much notice of Lounge Bar Rubi’s trackwork leading up to Saturday’s Sandown assignment.

Lounge Bar Rubi has won six of his 18 starts and more than $290,000 in stakes but Levi Kavanagh said track watchers wouldn’t see his ability in the early mornings.

“He always tries in his races but he’s very hard to gauge on his trackwork because he’s a very lazy trackworker,” Kavanagh said.

“We only see him in action on raceday.”

Lounge Bar Rubi is a $17 chance to win Saturday’s Thoroughbred Club Handicap (1400m) after the gelding finished midfield at Caulfield on May 11.

However, Lounge Bar Rubi has needed a run to build fitness in previous preparations, adding merit to the four-year-old’s first-up run.

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Lounge Bar Rubi progressed from an unplaced first-up run to string together four straight wins last year, climbing through the grades until scoring at Caulfield and running second in the Silver Bowl Final at Flemington last winter.

Kavanagh said Lounge Bar Rubi had the potential to improve further, starting with a win at Benchmark 84 level at Sandown.

“His fitness levels are really good so I expect him to run well,” Kavanagh said.

“It’s a big field on Saturday and he’s drawn out a bit, which is probably going to suit him.

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Impressive first-up winner Prevailed could be hard to run down stepping up in class at Sandown on Saturday. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images.

“We think he’s going to really switch on this preparation and continue to progress through the grades like he did last prep.”

The father and son training combination will also run impressive last-star winner Prevailed in the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1600m).

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Prevailed ploughed through heavy ground when an easy first-up winner at Geelong earlier this month, which was his first run as a gelding.

The stable thought enough of testing Prevailed in the Group 2 Sandown Guineas in the spring before having the son of Justify gelded.

Prevailed will step up in class and trip at Sandown but Kavanagh said keeping the promising performer to three-year-old company suited.

“He’s always shown a lot of potential and that’s why we sent him to the Sandown Guineas but he was a colt and he mixed his runs,” Kavanagh said.

“This time in, he’s gelded and more mature and he won like a good horse at Geelong.

“We opted to keep him to three-year-old grade so he can race against his own age group and we’re confident he’ll get the mile.

“It mapped well for him to go into this race.”

Jordan Childs will ride Prevailed while Luke Nolen will be aboard Lounge Bar Rubi.

Originally published as Mark and Levi Kavanagh-trained Lounge Bar Rubi to improve sharply second-up at Sandown