KEY POINTS:
Jim Cassidy will be under strict instructions to ride A$1.4 million ($1.6 million) colt Rumbler patiently when he lines up for his second start at Randwick's Kensington track today.
The three-year-old son of sire sensation Redoute's Choice was sent out favourite on debut at Canterbury last month but had no luck from his outside draw when he raced midfield and wide.
He weakened in the run home to finish second last to Fixed Bayonets, but trainer Gerald Ryan believes he will be a different horse if given time to find his feet early.
Rumbler has again drawn awkwardly for today's Seasons Greetings Handicap in barrier nine of 11, but Ryan said that regardless of what gate he came up with, the instructions to Cassidy were always going to be the same.
"I don't care if he draws one or 21, he'll be ridden quietly," Ryan said.
"Nothing went right for him at his first start ... and he probably just raced a bit fresh too.
"He's trialled at Rosehill since and came from last to win. He was quite impressive and I think that's the way to ride him."
While Ryan is expecting an improved showing from Rumbler, he warned punters the colt still had a lot to learn and would be better suited over further than the 1400 metres of this assignment.
"There's been all that hype around him because he cost so much but I've always maintained he won't be at his best until he gets to 1600m," Ryan said. "He's a horse with a lot of presence but he's still got a lot of developing to do."
Among Rumbler's rivals will be the Gai Waterhouse-trained Detected, who won a barrier trial by a massive 15 lengths before failing to fire on debut when a tiring eighth to Yankee at Canterbury on November 15.
He has since finished a narrow second to Orpenite at Gosford and will be ridden by the in-form Chris Munce.
* Shrewd Eagle Farm trainer Kelso Wood will have a strong hand in the McDougall Stakes at his home track today after declaring his talented two-year-old fillies Rock Idol and Lassie Mactavish both certain starters.
And while he is confident both will be extremely competitive in the A$100,000 Listed event over 1200m, he does have a slight leaning towards Rock Idol through his affinity with the filly's dam, his former topliner Broc 'N' Roll.
"They'll both go very well, but I do have a preference to Rock Idol," Wood said. "But in saying that, I might be a bit biased because I had her mother."
Wood trained Broc 'N' Roll to win five of her eight starts in 2000 before she was retired through injury.
The McDougall Stakes sets up a rematch for Wood's emerging fillies after Rock Idol beat Lassie Mactavish into fourth place when the pair clashed on December 2.
- AAP
