Trainer Gerald Ryan didn’t know why he had to defend the performance of his star two year old Rubick after the colt won the Group 3 $150,000 Sportingbet Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m) at Caulfield last Saturday.
Rubick wins the Blue Diamond Prelude for the colts and geldings at Caulfield. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Rubick ran 1.3.71 seconds for the 1100m, the same time as the Peter Snowden trained Earthquake ran in winning the filly’s version but bookmakers were quick to reinstate the filly as the favourite for the Group 1 $1m Sportingbet Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 22.
Ryan was quick to point out that Rubick had done a superb job in winning at his first run at Caulfield.
After being a little slow to jump from barrier two, jockey Brenton Avdulla was able to rail up and lead the field into the straight before going on to win by one length.
“I think people have been a bit harsh on him,” Ryan told TVN.
“Yesterday was his most vulnerable. Those colts that could not beat him yesterday will not beat him in a fortnight.
“All those who tried to go with him finished well behind him.
“He will improve off that run.”
But even though Rubick had to do it at both ends and still ran out a comfortable winner , Ladbrokes.com.au have elevated Earthquake to the top of the Blue Diamond Stakes betting at $2.60 with Rubick now marked at $3.
Chivalry from the Mark Kavanagh stable caught the eye again with a tidy third to the Sydney colt and is on the third line of betting at $9 with Gai Waterhouse’s two year old Nayeli.
Nostradamus, who ran fourth in the Blue Diamond Prelude is $11 in front of Jabali at $14 who ran on strongly to finish second on Saturday.
Ryan said that Rubick has pulled up well after Saturday’s win and is confident the Encosta De Lago colt will improve on his first run at Caulfield but has plenty of respect for Earthquake who will get the filly’s allowance in the Blue Diamond Stakes and will carry 2kgs less than the colts.
“I said last week if they couldn’t beat him in the Prelude, the colts wouldn’t beat him in the Blue Diamond,” Gerald said.
“There’s not a lot between him and Earthquake and we saw that.
“He ate up well last night and recovered from the race in good order.”
“It’s all a learning experience for him and he will be better on Blue Diamond day.”
A start in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on April 5 is not set in stone and Ryan will decide after the Blue Diamond Stakes if Rubick will compete in the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
