Ready To Rush, a mare whose racing career has been significantly hampered by a series of injuries, achieved a notable triumph in the TAB Highway (1000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Trainer Matthew Dale has continued to work with Ready To Rush through her physical challenges, and the mare is now starting to display her clear potential.
“She’s had three knee surgeries and there was some talk if we could even get her back,” Dale stated. “But full credit to the ownership group and Kurrinda Bloodstock who have been super patient.”
Dale noted his training environment, remarking, “I train her solely off my farm just outside of Goulburn so that is why she presented a little ‘wintery’ today. It’s a long way from Cootamundra and Gundagai to these Highways but she has taken that next step, it was great to see.”
Under a skillful ride from Rachel King, Ready To Rush ($11) held off the challenge of Sneaky Pee Cee ($6.50) by close to a length, with Magic Speed ($81) finishing a respectable third.
The $4.40 favourite, Lady Olenna, commenced from the rear of the field but made good progress in the closing stages, ultimately finishing just over a length behind the winner.
King shared her thoughts on the mare’s competitive spirit: “We had to duck and weave and go inside a horse and she was like ‘are you sure’ but the more I asked her the more she kept finding.”
Ready To Rush has now accumulated three wins and a second placing from her four career appearances. This latest success positions her as a contender for the $2 million feature, The Kosciuszko.
Dale confessed, “I didn’t have her in my Kosciuszko plans before today. But winner’s win and she is gaining in confidence all the time.”
He further explained that Ready To Rush is trained on a sand track at his Goulburn farm to help maintain her soundness. “She had a jump out with two of my better mares So You Pence and Rose Aye the other day and was half a length off them. So You Pence then came out and won a Saturday race and she was half a length off her so that gave us a bit of confidence going into today.”
The Kosciuszko looms, and Ready To Rush’s strong showing might see her attract attention from those looking for betting markets for the race at Australian betting sites.
