Ramsey eyes Group 3 win after VRC Oaks thrill
Fresh from a 2nd by Never Listen (green) in the VRC Oaks, trainer John Ramsey heads to Newcastle.
After the VRC Oaks threw his name up in lights, John Ramsey’s quest to prove himself among the training elite continues with Bright Rubick in the Spring Stakes at Newcastle.
The 34-year-old gambled on $41 outsider Never Listen last week and came up trumps when she ran second to Miami Bound in the Group One Oaks at Flemington.
True to the filly’s name, John ignored owner, breeder and father Stuart’s counsel to look elsewhere and she did not disappoint in the family colours on ladies day at Flemington.
“It was a big call,” Ramsey told AAP.
“I thought she’d stick and she was an Oaks filly. I had to back my judgment and have a proper crack at it.
“We nearly pulled it off.”
Ramsey admitted the result was a “big thrill” after he started out training as a hobby in 2013 before taking it on full-time two years ago.
He now trains many of the horses bred by his father at Turangga Stud out of his 26 boxes at Scone Racecourse as well as the occasional horse from outside the farm.
Bright Rubick will don the green with white braces and yellow hooped sleeve and cap silks for the Ramsey team in Saturday’s Group Three 1600m-race for three-year-olds.
The chestnut filly is also part-owned by long-time AOC president and William Inglis chairman, John Coates, who had a stake in Bright Rubick’s Peter Moody-trained dam Torah.
She has underwhelmed in her two starts at Group level to date, beating only one home in the Reisling Stakes at Randwick and finishing last at the same track in September’s Furious Stakes.
But Bright Rubick has found her groove this preparation, unbeaten at Muswellbrook in her past three runs as a short-priced favourite with Darryl McLellan on board.
McLellan, who rode Never Listen in the Oaks, has been booked again with Ramsey keen to keep the winning formula.
Ramsey is confident she can handle the step back up to Group company and can show improvement over the distance.
“We thought she’d want a little bit further (ground),” Ramsey said.
“I think she’ll perform well. She’s in good nick, she’s trained well, she’s in form. So can’t ask much more.”
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Rule The World ($2.90), Chris Waller’s Kavalmo ($4.80) and Anthony Cummings’ Indy Car ($6.50) led the betting with TAB on Thursday.
And Ramsey is not bothered by odds-makers rating his runner a $19 chance.
“I suppose Gai Waterhouse’s name is next to Anthony Cummings and my name,” he said.
“We’ll run with it. If you don’t reach for the stars, you won’t get there.”