More than $30 separates stablemates Ripcord and Dublin Red in Tabtouch betting on Saturday’s G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) at Ascot, but trainer Luke Fernie cannot split the pair.
Ripcord, A Written By gelding, was green and raw when he won the Listed Perth Stakes (1100m) on debut two weeks ago, stamping himself as a galloper to follow through feature two-year-old races.
Dublin Red’s first official outing in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) didn’t create the same attention, but there were extenuating circumstances for the daughter of War Chant.
She ran 10th to brilliant winner Live To Tell, but was only beaten 4 ½ lengths and gained a host of admirers, not the least Luke Fernie, after she travelled wide throughout.
Ripcord is currently $9.50 and on the third line of betting for the Karrakatta Plate, behind Live To Tell $1.80 and Super Smink $4.80. Dublin Red is rated a $41 chance.
“She’ll (Dublin Red) finish in the first five,” Fernie told Tabradio.
“She is very, very smart and her run the other day she was three deep with no luck,
“You just rule a line through it and I think she is very, very good.
“She definitely has the ability and is just as good as Ripcord.”
Ripcord reaching the Karrakatta Plate has been a pleasant surprise for Fernie.
He had initial doubts on reaching Perth’s richest juvenile race but says Ripcord has come through his first race in great shape.
“I thought there would be nothing surer of him pulling up shin sore after the Perth Stakes,” Fernie said.
“He was borderline I thought going into it, we nursed him through, but he didn’t have as much work as I would have liked.
“But he has pulled up really good since, is happy, healthy and all things are ticking along nicely.”
Fernie’s confidence levels soared after Ripcord drew barrier eight in the Karrakatta Plate and Dublin Red gate three.
Champion jockey Paul Harvey rides Ripcord with Chris Parnham opting to partner, Super Smink.
Lucy Fiore retains the mount on Dublin Red.
Meanwhile Fernie says Excellent Dream has solid claims of winning an open affair in The Joey (1200m).
