Group targets on the horizon for Ruby Ridge

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

Group targets are on the horizon for Ruby Ridge following her win in the MVS Equine Handicap Trot (2200m) at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday.

The daughter of Majestic Son was dropping back from Auckland grade, however, she had to overcome her 35m back mark and co-trainer Vaughan Blanchard admitted to being slightly concerned about that impost during the running.

However, she showed her talents when running over the top of her rivals late to win by three-quarters of a length over Bun In The Oven, with a further nose back to Safrakova in third.

“She is a bit of a stable favourite. Her work has been really good and I didn’t think it was a bad run last start at Auckland. Over the mile she got caught parked,” said Blanchard, who trains in partnership with his father Peter.

“I was a little bit worried with a lap out, she hadn’t really tacked on, but she showed a good turn of foot up the straight and I was really happy with how she raced.”

The win capped a great year for Ruby Ridge, who won three of her 20 starts, placing in 10 others, including the Gr.3 Waikato Trotting Breeders’ Stakes (2700m) and Gr.3 Northern Breeders’ Stakes (2700m).

The Group Three trotting features are once again on the cards for the rising six-year-old, who will now head for a slight freshen-up.

“There a few of those mares races coming up in the new year, she placed in all of them this year, so we will likely give her a slight freshen-up and aim her for them,” Blanchard said.

Earlier on the card, the Blanchards were once again in the winner’s circle, welcoming back Rossellini after her victory in the Garrards Horse & Hound Handicap Trot (2200m).

“She went really well on Christmas Eve (for third), so I thought if she could emulate that runshe would be thereabouts,” Blanchard said.

“The run last week brought her on and she went really well. She is trotting really well and when you get in that zone it is good to keep them like that.”

Prior to her last start placing, Rossellini had been struggling to find form, however, a change in shoeing has worked wonders for the mare.

“Her bloods weren’t good after her previous run in the campaign, and we tampered around with her shoeing a bit. It was just a bit of trial and error, and a couple of things seemed to work,” Blanchard said.

“We will let the dust settle after tonight and maybe pick a race out at Cambridge in the next week or so.”