Inform locally trained mare Rubi’s Serve racing in great form on the two Newcastle tracks should win again when she contests the 1400 metre Benchmark 64 Handicap at the Velich Brother’s Memorial ‘Legends’ Race Day at the Newcastle Racecourse on Saturday.
Trained by Mark Minervini and bred and part owned by Gerry Harvey, Rubi’s Serve last start on the Newcastle Beaumont track on Boxing Day resulted in a very impressive win. It was a Benchmark 64, 1350 metre fillies and mares’ provincial event and she was a clear last early, and near last on the home turn. The mare sprinted quickly when in the clear halfway down the straight and won by a length running away. Rubi’s Serve’s previous two starts were on the Newcastle course proper and the mare stormed home for her first win on November 27, and ten days later the 4-year-old was beaten a head by the unbeaten Churchill’s Choice which then won at Randwick and is talked about as an Oaks prospect. Rubi’s Serve has had five starts on the Newcastle track for a win and four placings and she draws nicely, and Lee Magorian has the mount again.
The Minervini stables filly Ocean Joy will be hard to beat in the opening event the 900 metre Craig Philpotts Consulting ‘Kurt Fearnley’ Midway Maiden Plate. A very fast 3-year-old Ocean Joy was placed in hot 900 metres Newcastle maiden events in September and October. She led when third behind Randwick winner and black type performer Zoubaby on September 21 and on October 1 Ocean Joy led when third behind Ciaron Mahers subsequent Moonee Valley placegetter Force Red. The speedster led all the way to win a recent Beaumont trial. Andrew Gibbons trialled her and has the mount on Saturday.
John Sargent’s 4-year-old Balmierro has only won once with six placings from seventeen starts but he is well placed in the 1880 metres Bob Velich Memorial Benchmark 64 Handicap on Saturday. Before a spell the son of Pierro trounced a Benchmark 58 field by more than four lengths at Scone over 2200 metres. He is third up on Saturday after a very good placing in a strong field at Wyong on New Years Eve.
How Much Better won the race and was a good thing beaten at Newcastle on Tuesday and the runner up at Wyong, Elle Hudson has won since at Newcastle and finished runner up at the Kensington track. The in-form Jean Van Overmeire has the mount from a lovely barrier.
The Ciaron Maher trained The Beast has a good chance in the 1880 metre Franky’s Five O ‘Jack Newton’ Super Maiden Plate despite a ‘carpark’ barrier. The son of Snitzel has had five starts for four placings and he has the speed to overcome the barrier. He led in a 1900 metre Canterbury Super Maiden last start on New Years Day and after being challenged from the ‘400’ he was tough to the line going down by a length. Andrew Adkins has the mount after riding The Beast for the first time last start.
The consistent Sara Ryan trained Aix En Provence with the Brazilian Jose Severo in the saddle has bright prospects in the 1600 metre Doyle Racing ‘Gary Harley’ Benchmark 68 Handicap. The 4-year-old stormed home to go down by a nose at the Wyong stand alone metropolitan meeting on January 11. His race record stands at two wins and seven placings from twelve starts.