Alison Smith admits it’s becoming increasingly tougher to find champion mare Absolute Ripper a suitable race in the bush, but while ever the six-year-old sprint queen keeps winning in town the Orange-based trainer’s not too worried.
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Smith’s slashing bay mare led from start to finish in the ANZ Bloodstock News Handicap (1000m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, pocketing the lion’s share of the $50,000 prizemoney pool on offer at the metropolitan meeting.
It was a commanding half-length victory over a reasonably strong field and given Absolute Ripper saluted at $31 odds, knocking off hot $2.60 favourite Ellie’s Encore, Smith was understandably happy with the result – Ripper’s sixth win in 16 starts.
But Warwick Farm, and other metro markets, is likely where the Orange sprinter will have to run – as long as it’s the right race.
“It’s hard, and that’s the thing ... once you’ve got a horse in the bush with a high rating it’s hard to find them races unless they’re open cups or sprints,” Smith said.
“We've just got to keep it together and keep finding the right races for her and she’ll keep going well.”
Smith admitted it’s one race at a time for her stable’s star.
Ripper won four races – including two over 1000m at Hawkesbury – and placed second twice throughout her first eight starts and, with the big country championship qualifier money on offer, Smith opted to try the sprinter at the 1400 metres.
It didn’t pay off, Absolute Ripper pulling up lame at Wellington in March 2017.
It’s been a slow comeback since then and Smith says she’s now prepared to be very picky when it comes to accepting the six-year-old mare.
Ripper was nominated at Coonabarabran for last Monday and also at Queanbeyan this coming Sunday before Smith decided to try her hand at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
“It’s one race at a time,” she said.
“She had the run in the championships and at the end of the day I did the wrong thing there, I should never have started her in that race at Wellington. You live and learn by your mistakes though.
“She can definitely get 1100 (metres), she’s just been beaten over 1100 in Sydney but the cup races at 1400 and that are just too far.
“You’ve just got to find the right races, and (on Wednesday) we thought if the horse produced her best it’d be the right race for her and she did.”
Smith said Absolute Ripper would be angled at the Fillies and Mares Benchmark 88 Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on November 3, which will be run over 1200m.
“She seems to have come through the race really well and we’ll take her back down for that one in November.”
Nick McGrath
Editor, Central Western Daily
Editor, Central Western Daily
