River Rubicon Ready to Shed Recent Bridesmaid Tag in Detonator Stakes
Experienced galloper River Rubicon has been showing glimpses of winning promise and gets another chance to break through in Saturday’s Listed $125,000 Detonator Stakes (1800m) at Ascot.
Sitting back second last at his most recent appearance, River Rubicon was rousted up from the 600m and made steady headway but offered no meaningful impression on Battle Commander, who kept up the gallop to score by a cosy length-and-a-half margin.
But four kilos separated the pair on that occasion and now there’s merely one between them, plus River Rubicon has been racing dourly and looks better suited by the rise to 1800m.
Battle Commander Faces Tougher Tasks
Battle Commander has proven the testing material over the Ascot mile journey lately, compiling a collection of wins. Though abandoning his beloved distance and rising in company and weight, his tasks are becoming tougher.
Red Sun Sensation has not raced since the end of last year but did warm up for this with a comfortable three-length Lark Hill trial success over 1450m on February 9.
Arcadia Park has had two runs this campaign, finishing sixth in the first behind Battle Commander over the Ascot 1600m. He stepped up to 1800m last time and was near the tail before being pulled to the extreme outside on the home bend.
Under Clint Johnston-Porter’s firm riding, he never seriously threatened, but the best part of his race was the very conclusion, and he was strong through the line.
Other Contenders in the Mix
He engaged in a bump with Sowar on the final bend of that event and gradually got the better of the argument over the late stages. Appearing a week later, Sowar was soundly accounted for in a 2200m event when defeated five lengths at the hands of the in-form Amazing Cheat.
Sowar was freshened after that start but was produced at Belmont trials on Monday morning when finishing a six-length last of seven behind Castle Road. However, the last time he followed that formula of trialling on the Monday and racing on the weekend, he took out the Walkaway Cup (2200m) at Geraldton on December 27.
Amazing Cheat had a month off leading up to her December 31 reappearance and clearly thrived because she won three in a line over 2000m and then twice at 2200m.
Silver Eye proved dynamite in two 1400m and 1500m events through January, backing up off seven days to take his most recent start. However, he was scratched on the morning of his next projected 1600m start and 1800m is a new test again for the five-year-old.
Famous Dain and Rocking Society Updates
With his removal from that contest, Famous Dain became the hot $1.85 favourite to post a triumph. But after working forward, he could not meet the relentless gallop continued by Battle Commander over the final part and he wilted to be a three-length fourth.
Rocking Society resumes from a brief break after contesting the Perth Cup (2400m) on New Year’s Day where he went off $151. But he delivered a career-best showing when responding manfully to heavy pressure, finishing fourth behind tearaway victor Apulia.
His trainer Jason Miller has also recently taken over the conditioning of Fat Roy Slim, who resumed over the Ascot mile on January 31 and, after sitting at the very end of the field, warmed up solidly late to be fifth and only two and a half lengths from Redback Flyer.
That made Redback Flyer two from three this campaign and the gelding dug in grandly when challenged by Cashel Palace in that race to record the narrowest of victories.
Additional Runners to Watch
Fly With Caution looked all over a winner in the 1800m race featuring Arcadia Park and co last time but was smothered by Our Paladin Al in the final few hops. Since that third-up outing, he’s been freshened for the last month and is worth keeping onside.
Fear The Wind resumed from a let-up in the Ascot Mile but could offer no resistance when the taps were turned approaching the final bend. The rise in distance will help but he still has 10 lengths to find on Battle Commander.
Soldanelle is a quirky customer that grows a leg when William Pike jumps aboard. Unfortunately for her and her followers, The Wizard will not be on this weekend and therefore her chances of repeating her 1600m success from a fortnight ago are dulled.
She was pulled from the coattails of Desennea on the home bend and thundered down the outer to salute, while Desennea weakened to be last of nine.
Blue Diamond Stakes Preview
Mick Price is poised to add another Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) to his catalogue of big race glories when he saddles up the two favourites in this year’s edition, Big Sky ($4.80) and Guest House ($5.50).
Price has prepared a multitude of topliners, including Blue Diamond winners Samaready in 2012 and the hottest stallion on the market, Extreme Choice, in 2016.
Both Big Sky and Guest House have drawn usefully in five and three respectively and Price has warned other riders of engaging in an initial speed duel. “I would say to those jockeys, ‘listen, if you eyeball each other, you might as well not turn up, so work it out in the first 100m who does what’,” Price said.
“Any jockey that eyeballs another jockey at fast speed you basically write it off… it’s up to them, but they don’t give their horse any chance if they choose to eyeball.”
Guest House was a slightly surprising defeat behind Closer To Free ($7.50) in the Blue Diamond Prelude but did endure a tough run. “In all my time watching races, if something duffs the start, locks onto the bridle, pulls double, sits there deep, exposed and working, they run second last,” Price said.
“He ran second, I couldn’t believe he ran second. I thought that’s indicative of his capacity at only his second start, so I thought it was a huge effort.”
Meanwhile, Big Sky supplemented his January 17 debut victory with another success in the Chairman’s Stakes over 1000m three weeks ago, emphatically going on to score by three lengths.
Ben Melham rode the horse that day but remains loyal to Clinton McDonald’s Streisand ($12), meaning Jordan Childs returns to the irons. Unit Five ($7.50), who remains unbeaten after conquering Queensland’s Magic Millions Classic a month ago, is the other runner under double-figure odds.
Ultimate Driver Championship Update
Champion WA reinsman Gary Hall Jr will contest heats of the Ultimate Driver Championship at Queensland’s Albion Park circuit on Friday and Saturday night.
Hall Jr will represent the slot of the Gloucester Park Gurus and will drive in most of the 20 heats across the two nights, accumulating points which tally to determine the best driver in the invitational series.
