Trainer Patrick Payne extremely happy with filly Rubisaki ahead of Group 3 assignment at Randwick
Still unbeaten as a three-year-old and fresh off a barnstorming Group 3 win, Rubisaki is shooting for a sixth straight win at Randwick this weekend. Trainer Patrick Payne says it’d take a brave person to tip against her.
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As much as Patrick Payne would like to put the polish on explosive filly Rubisaki the astute trainer must make do with watching Saturday’s Group 3 James Carr Stakes at Randwick on television.
The strict biosecurity protocols in place for racing to continue during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced Victorian trainers to think outside the square to compete during the Sydney autumn carnival.
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Since the barnstorming win in the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes, Rubisaki, still unbeaten as a three year-old and shooting for six wins in succession, has remained in the care of Goulburn trainer John Bateman.
Payne and Bateman speak regularly about for the most part the Goulburn horseman has the keys to one of Australia's best and most progressive fillies.
“He (Bateman) says she's jumping out of her skin so we're keen to run at Randwick on Saturday,” Payne said.
“She went up there (Bateman's stable) when she won the Inglis 3YO Sprint, he knows her well and is a really good horseman, no one can travel with her so it's the best case scenario really.
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“I explain what we normally do with her and he's got the (freedom) to tinker with her how he wants.
“It's worked really well, we all got to make sacrifices and I'd love to be up there training her but … (we're) lucky John is such a good horseman and made it pretty easy really.”
Rubisaki, an $85,000 Inglis Classic purchase, has banked more than $1m for her connections, winning seven of nine races including the Group 2 Kewney Stakes.
The $7.5m Golden Eagle (1500m) in October remains firmly on the agenda but Payne is careful not to ask too much too soon of a filly that will only get better with time.
The Golden Eagle would put Rubisaki on a collision course with a host of proven Group 1 winners, including Alligator Blood, Bivouac, Funstar and Loving Gaby.
“It’d be a perfect race for her, I would’ve thought,” Payne said.
“She just maturing all the time, I wouldn't be surprised if she’s better as a four and five year-old.
“We won’t be too ambitious this spring, as she's going from a three year-old filly to a four year-old mare and it's pretty deep water for those horses sometimes.
“She's still a little bit immature, we'll pick out something fairly kind and maybe target something a bit more ambitious as an autumn four year-old mare.”
OAKS-BOUND FILLY CHASING GOLD GUINEAS RICHES
Mitchell Freedman expects Moonlight Maid to springboard off Saturday's inaugural VOBIS Gold Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield into the Group 1 Australasian Oaks in Adelaide next month.
Moonlight Maid has trained on nicely from a first up “pipe opener” in the Group 2 Sunline Stakes, when sixth and 3.1 lengths behind Mamzelle Tess and Bam’s On Fire.
Bam’s On Fire franked the form with a sharp win at Caulfield last Saturday.
“I think she's going really well, probably a little bit of a pipe opener there at the Valley and she's come on since that,” Freedman said ahead of the $452,500 three year-old feature limited to Victorian-bred horses.
“I think she’s in good shape and it's a good plan we’re working towards.”
Moonlight Maid won the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes last October second up, before going on to place in the Moonee Valley Vase and Group 1 Kennedy Oaks.
“We're just going to play around with her gear a little bit, take the ear muffs off, she had a trial at Ballarat the other day with them off and she was much sharper out of the barriers,’ Freedman said.
“We’d be hoping she can draw a gate and take up a bit more of a forward spot.
Freedman hopes a shorter preparation will bring the best out of Moonlight Maid going into the Group 1 at Morphettville on May 2.
“She had a long prep into the spring and matured a lot (since),” Freedman said.
“We had plans to go to Queensland after Adelaide but that carnival is up in the air, we'll just assess as we go along, she seems to be in good shape and we're just looking forward to the next three weeks.”
Jockey Ben Melham will ride Moonlight Maid on Saturday.
The multiple Group 1 winner, who partnered the daughter of Puissance de Lune last year in the spring, will hand over the reins to Zac Spain for the Australasian Oaks.
Spain must first complete 14 days quarantine in Adelaide, under the strict pandemic protocols in place to protect jockeys and racing participants from the coronavirus.
Spain will again be forced to quarantine a further 14 days following The Oaks to be cleared to ride back in Victoria.
“I think he's got a few others (rides) over there over the carnival so I think it's a good opportunity for a good young rider,” Freedman said.