Melbourne jockey Michael Rodd is the new rider for Group 1 winning mare Red Tracer in the Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Michael Rodd will take over the reins on Red Tracer in the George Ryder Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Trainer Chris Waller had to look for a new jockey for his high quality mare after regular rider Nash Rawiller was committed to ride stable mate My Kingdom Of Fife.
Waller had intended to run Red Tracer next week in the Group 2 $175,000 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill but when the wet weather arrived the leading trainer had a change of heart with the noted mudlark and accepted with her in the George Ryder Stakes.
“We never intended to run her but we know how much she likes a wet track so we decided to nominate her,” Waller told AAP.
“The Emancipation looks like a really good race for her but she is so good in the wet and the George Ryder is a Group One race.”
The Rosehill track is currently rated a slow 7 and with more rain forecast for the rest of the week, the conditions will suit Red Tracer perfectly.
Red Tracer is regarded as one of Sydney’s best wet trackers with an outstanding record on rain affected ground including a Group 1 victory on a slow 7 in the $500,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm during last year’s Brisbane Winter Carnival.
The Dane Shadow mare has three wins and a second from four starts on a slow track and five wins from six attempts on the heavy.
Rodd will be having his first ride on Red Tracer replacing Rawiller who has ridden the two time Group 1 winning mare at her last seven outings including the win in the Tattersall’s Tiara and a win in the Group 1 $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington during last year’s Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Red Tracer was straight back to her best as she kicked off her Sydney Autumn Carnival campaign with a win on a slow 7, beating subsequent winner A Time For Julia in the Group 2 $175,000 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on March 1.
And then she was sent out the $3.40 favourite in the Group 1 $500,000 Guinness Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on March 15 on a dead 4 and after being on the end of severe interference shortly after the start, ran home to finish third to Appearance and Not Listenin’tome.
Rodd is also riding in great form and collected another Group 1 trophy when he steered Queensland sprinter Spirit Of Boom to a narrow win in the $400,000 Hacer Group William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last Friday night.
Waller will have four runners in the weight for age contest with Glyn Schofield flying back from Singapore to ride Boban and Zac Purton, who is currently leading the Hong Kong jockey’s premiership, also jetting in to ride Sacred Falls.
The prospect of a rain affected track has prompted bookies to install Red Tracer as the favourite for the George Ryder Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au marking her at $3.80 just ahead of stablemate Boban at $4.
Sacred Falls and Kiwi three year old El Roca share the next line of betting at $8 ahead of the Guy Walter trained Streama at $10 and Eurozone from the Bart And James Cummings stable at $13.
Besides offering the best odds, Ladbrokes.com.au is now offering its customers the chance to sign up for the Ladbrokes Card which offers instant access to their winnings from any ATM and via EFTPOS.
