Racing: Top trio prepare to resume rivalry

Gobi Ranger, left, with Jason Waddell on board here, is set for an epic battle with All Decked Out and Cosmic Cube at tomorrow's Fashion Fiesta races in Ruakaka.

There was only a neck separating three top 3-year-olds at the Te Teko trials on August 27. Tomorrow, those three clash in the Whangarei Racing Club's $50,000 feature.

Cosmic Cube, Gobi Ranger and All Decked Out are in a field of 10 for race seven; the Westbury Stud Challenge Stakes.

Cosmic Cube led his other two rivals home at Te Teko in the 1000m barrier trial, Gobi Ranger and All Decked Out dead-heated for second.

It was a good performance, the unbeaten son of Dehere raced three-wide throughout in the five-horse heat.

His trainers, Graeme and Debbie Rogerson, said the horse had improved with the hit-out and they expected him to carry on his winning way.

"He's forward enough to win," Graeme Rogerson said.

"I'm not worried about the others because I know he is a pretty smart horse. Our apprentice Rory Hutchings rode him in the barrier trial and told me he never had to ask the horse for any effort to win. He did it without any coaxing."

Hutchings had been Cosmic Cube's regular rider throughout.

He rode him in three barrier trials before the horse made his debut at Ellerslie on April 1.

Cosmic Cube cruised to a two-and-a-half length victory over 1100m. Next time to the races at Te Rapa on April 27 over 1200m, he came from a tricky position on the inside and stormed past Young Warrior and Dugan.

Dugan franked the form, winning the Castletown Stakes at Wanganui on June 1.

The Te Rapa effort was enough for Hutchings, last year's New Zealand leading apprentice, to label Cosmic Cube as the best horse he had ridden.

Hutchings was on board Cosmic Cube when he won at the Te Teko trials but an accident will see him watching this weekend's race at home on Trackside TV.

"Rory was walking a horse off the training track when it shied and he fell off the side," Rogerson said.

"He broke his wrist and is out for six weeks. To say he is gutted about missing the ride is an understatement."

Cosmic Cube will be ridden by Craig Grylls, who has spent as much time as he can getting to know the colt.

"Craig has been over to our stables and ridden the horse in plenty of track work," Rogerson said. "We had plenty of jockeys and jockey agents ring for the ride when they found out Rory was injured but Craig has always put himself out for us and never turned us down so he deserved the mount."

Rogerson is as confident as he can be, especially after drawing barrier four. "He's going to get a good run from there and we won't have any excuses if someone knocks us off."

Gobi Ranger and All Decked Out won't give up without a fight though.

At Te Teko, Gobi Ranger led the trial and All Decked Out tracked him on the outside, with both their riders claiming they still had plenty of petrol left in the tank at the finish.

Gobi Ranger was ridden by Jason Waddell, who is not race riding at present because his walking weight is about 65kg.

Gobi Ranger's effort had plenty of merit considering he carried so much weight and he will be tough to beat from barrier two with Opie Bosson up.

Jockey Matt Cameron holds All Decked Out in high regard and was pleased with his mount's effort in the trial.

"He has improved and will be hard to beat," he said.

Last start Ruakaka winner Beauty's Beast and debut winner El Roca add to an exciting contest.