An ageing warrior and an up-and-comer.
Veteran trainer Steve Wolfe has the Winterbottom Stakes loaded with two horses at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Red Can Man has been Wolfe’s stable flag bearer for years and as an eight-year-old he’s having his fifth attempt at landing the major prize in Perth’s most lucrative sprint race.
The Gingerbread Man gelding has been a warrior for Wolfe, he’s collected $1.2 million in prizemoney, won three Listed races in Perth and achieved a personal best in the Group 3 Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield when under the care of David Brideoake.
Rope Them In is the heir apparent to Red Can Man who will pass the baton to his younger stablemate, bred and part-owned by former Richmond and South Fremantle star, Noel Carter, if continues his rate of improvement.
A son of boom local sire, Playing God, Rope Them In gave a portent of things to come with a trio of smart wins during the winter at Belmont and Ascot and gave a perfect audition for the Winterbottom Stakes with victory in the Group 3 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m).
Demonstrating a powerful turn of foot, it was Rope Them In’s first win in stakes company after a second in the Fairetha Stakes (1400m) last year and took his record to seven wins and four placings from 15 starts since winning on debut last year.
Rapt to take out the Colonel Reeves Stakes, the experienced Wolfe said Rope Them In will need to elevate and go to another level again to reach Group 1 status in the Winterbottom Stakes, but he has upmost faith that his emerging galloper can rise to the challenge.
“He hasn’t gone backwards and I’m sure he’s held his condition,” Wolfe said on Tabradio.
“Obviously the biggest trick is the raise in weights, from a handicap to weight for age.
“But, he’s given me every indication that he’ll handle a rise in class.
“He looks well and Shaun (McGruddy) was down here (Albany) yesterday (Tuesday) to ride him and couldn’t fault him.
“He’s a very sound horse and an emerging horse.
“His let go speed is quite exciting and that sets the good ones apart from the other ones.
“I know there are some handy ones in it, but I’m sure he’ll produce a similar run (Colonel Reeves) and be very competitive.”
With several of the fancied and speed runners drawing out wide, Rope Them In, with Shaun Mcgruddy, will negotiate his spot from barrier nine.
“With the amount of pressure that’s going to be in the race will suit him,” Wolfe said.
“He can be wherever he wants to be; he could be running third, he could be running tenth.
“He’s not going to have too many issues; the rest is up to Shaun.”
Red Can Man hasn’t been seen since the Prince Of Wales Stakes (1000m) when he ran sixth of eight to Bravo Centurion first-up.
Aiming for his first win since the Crawford Stakes (1000m) last year, his Winterbottom task was made harder after drawing barrier 11.
On the positive side is the booking of Shaun O’Donnell who has an uncanny knack of striking when first up on a new mount.
One of the outsiders in the Winterbottom, Wolfe is hoping Red Can Man has one more big race left in him to take out.
“It would have been nice if he could have drawn closer,” Wolfe said.
“We’ve deliberately kept him up to the mark and fresh.
“He always races well second and third up.
“He’s been a wonderful horse with durability.
“There’s still a race or two in him, but they’re hard to find at this level.”
Rope Them In is $13 with Tabtouch and Red Can Man is $67.
