Rich Enuff will return to Group 1 level in the 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and trainer Ken Keys believes that his star galloper can return to his best form at Caulfield on Saturday.
Rich Enuff has the chance to record a maiden win at Group 1 level in the 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Rich Enuff missed the 2015 Melbourne Festival Of Racing due to a number of niggling injuries, but he returned to the races with a credible second place finish behind Bounding in the Group 3 The Shark.com.au Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 29 before he was slightly disappointing when sixth in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on September 12.
Keys believes that Rich Enuff’s performance in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes was better than it looks on paper and he is confident that the Written Tycoon entire will be at his peak for his return to Group 1 racing.
“He is where we hoped he would be,” Keys said.
“He is down to just on 560 and it is a massive improvement from each start on weight, he has tightened up each time.
“He is a pretty gentle colt at home, but he gets game day nerves.
“He was still a bit fresh the other day just from the excitement of going to the races and I take it on trust that he will settle down a bit this week.
“There are no issues there, I thought that he was pretty brave last start and second-up is always tough in a crowd.
“If he has taken natural improvement then I think that he will give a good sight of himself.”
Dwayne Dunn and Damien Oliver have ridden Rich Enuff in his two race starts this preparation, but Sydney-based James McDonald has been booked to take the ride in the 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.
Keys said that he is happy to have McDonald aboard Rich Enuff in the 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and he expects that the talented hoop will press forward on the four-year-old in the early stages of the race.
“It is not a bad change and I am pretty happy,” Keys said.
“James has obviously witnessed how he races in the Guineas last year and I think that he will give him every opportunity.
“I don’t think he has to control things from the front, but he is a free-running horse and he doesn’t have to be in amongst them.”
Rich Enuff is currently available at 2015 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes odds of $14 with Ladbrokes, while Disposition ($4) is a clear favourite from Stratum Star ($7), Under The Louvre ($8), Lucky Hussler ($11) and Charmed Harmony ($11).
