Beside You speeds to Highway win
Unbeaten filly Beside You is the best of Barry Ratcliff’s eight horses in work, but he is not ready to declare her the best he has ever had.
The Kempsey trainer was jubilant at Rosehill on Saturday after Beside You gave him a rare city winner in the Colin McAlpine Tribute Highway Handicap (1100m), named after the Queensland owner-breeder who died more than a week ago.
The difference with Beside You as opposed to Ratcliff’s other city winners is she has been in Ratcliff’s stable from the start.
“I had a Langfibian, Hurricane Stroller and Sunrich, and they all won city races but I never had them as babies.
“We broke her in ourselves.”
Ratcliff also nominated Beside You for the Group Three San Domenico Stakes, but his decision to take the easier option paid off.
He said he was blown away by the filly’s win.
“She could be anything,” Ratcliff said.
It was a rare city winner for country jockey Serg Lisnyy, who relished the chance to ride at Rosehill on a Saturday.
Lisnyy settled second-last on the rails, which made Ratcliff nervous as he watched the race with Kempsey locals on the public terraces.
“I was a bit panicky there when she was caught on the rails, but she got out at the right time,” Ratcliff said.
Drawn to the outside, Beside You ($9) powered home in the straight to deny Tibidabo ($101) a massive upset, with equal favourite Farah ($5) in third place.
Beside You has won all three of her races and Ratcliff intends to step her up to a class three Highway race at her next start.
“When she develops another six or eight months she’ll get 1400 metres to a mile,” Ratcliff said.
“We’ll step her up to something decent later on. She deserves it now.”