Racing: Red Ruler ready to reign

Red Ruler ridden by Jason Collett. Photo / Christine Cornege.

Zabeel Classic favourite better prepared to finally break his group one hoodoo.

If you were from another country or an alien and did the form for Sunday's $200,000 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie you would have Vosne Romanee at $1.90 and Red Ruler posted at $3.30.

That would be a mistake.

The pair of talented middle-distance gallopers have met twice in the past 12 months under the conditions of the Zabeel - 2000m, group one weight-for-age - with a resounding 2-zip to Vosne Romanee.

But that is on literal form without the extraneous issues factored in.

And that is why race form taken in isolation can, at times, be misleading.

Red Ruler will produce for this running of the Zabeel Classic a completely different horse to the one who finished second to Vosne Romanee a year ago.

He will be fitter.

Trainer John Sargent last time wanted to try to win the Boxing Day Zabeel Classic and the City Of Auckland Cup on January 1.

To achieve that he had to leave Red Ruler one race short for the Zabeel for fear of sending him over the top for the second of the two races.

It got Red Ruler - who won the City Of Auckland Cup - beaten in the Zabeel, but Sargent isn't making the same mistake again.

"Last year, he had only one run after coming back from the Melbourne carnival and he was too fresh going into the Zabeel," said the Matamata horseman.

"He went keenly in running as a result and couldn't finish off as well as he can."

This time Sargent has twice produced Red Ruler since his Melbourne Cup run for a fabulous 1400m victory under 61kg at Pukekohe and an effort just as good for fourth at Te Rapa last week under 62kg.

Despite some marvellous form, Red Ruler has not won a group one race and Sargent hopes to settle that score on Sunday.

"I've targeted this race this time. Last year, I didn't, I targeted the Cup."

Sargent is unsure whether Red Ruler will again back up in the Waiwera Water City Of Auckland Cup.

"He's still in it, we'll wait and see what happens on Sunday."

The second time Vosne Romanee beat Red Ruler at 2000m was in the New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie in which they produced a first-fourth result.

But unlike the other horse, Red Ruler was coming off a series of three tough winning staying contests: the 2400m of the City Of Auckland Cup, 2100m of the Trentham Stakes and the 2400m of the Wellington Cup.

Despite that, just 1.3 lengths separated them at Ellerslie.

Vosne Romanee won Horse Of The Year with those two wins coupled with his Kelt Capital Stakes victory.

He came back for the same Hastings treble this season and finished ninth, last and last.

But trainer Jeff Lynds has worked some magic somewhere because Vosne Romanee's effort behind We Can Say It Now in the too-short 1600m Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham last start suggested he was just one race and a 2000m distance away from his best again. He finished only eighth in that race, but he was getting home strongly from an impossible position at the 600m.

Wednesday's barrier draw did him no favour when he drew No 13 and Red Ruler No 2.

There is a short run to the uphill climb out of the home straight from the Ellerslie 2000m start and at this level outside draws have the potential to be dangerous.

Ginga Dude is only slightly better off at barrier No 10 and Michael Walker, over from Melbourne for the ride, might try and get him over to lead before the bend. The under-rated Cambridge stayer had a couple of hard runs in Melbourne, where his form was first class, and he is due a short spell after this race.

However, part-owner and trainer Graeme Boyd says he is happy enough with the horse.

ZABEEL CLASSIC

* Red Ruler couldn't beat Vosne Romanee last season, but he's out to prove he can in Sunday's group one feature.

* Trainer John Sargent says he has trained Red Ruler specifically for this race, whereas last year he didn't when Vosne Romanee beat him.

* Ginga Dude and Michael Walker are a possible danger to the two topliners.

MIKE DILLON'S PUNTING POINTERS

BEST BET

Red Ruler (R9) in the Zabeel. Life's about timing and his is right now.

NEXT BEST

Double Cream (R1). Should have won on debut at Te Aroha when she got locked up behind horses late. Has had plenty of time to recover from that.

IMPRESSIVE DEBUT

Staretto (R3). Compact Starcraft filly who came from last for a stylish second to talented Savabill at Otaki. Nicely drawn this time.

Hot field, but should be improved. Soul Commander and Quintero have been eye-catching at the trials.

NEEDS CHANGE OF LUCK

Our Ella Belle (R2). Everything has gone wrong raceday last two appearances and has had foot problems since. Back on track and ace barrier a big help. Worth backing and staying with. Quinella with Dasoudi, The Beekeeper and Mercury Mistress.

NEEDS TO BE HIMSELF

Jimmy Choux (R6), the Guineas. Fibrillation was his issue when retired from the Levin Classic. All reports have him back to his best. If he is he goes close.

ANOTHER TO STAY WITH

Solzhenitsyn (R5). Drawn badly at the 1200m, but can still do it with a little luck. Looks to be on the way through. Make A Wish deserves a change of luck in the same race.

PUNTERS' HEADACHE

The Eight Carat Classic (R8). That much emerging talent your brain could freeze. That said, Blinding has done nothing wrong as one of the established fillies and her second to We Can Say It Now at Otaki was true to label.

BADLY DRAWN

Prairie Star (R8). A mare on the way through and with the ballots out, the No 17 barrier will look more respectable. Hard to keep out.

FORGIVE LAST START

Gotoobgood (R10). Cost punters a stack when backed and beaten into third when resuming after long break following a breakdown. Better than that and worth one more try. Historian will be chasing hard.

KEEP AN EYE ON

Prince Of Wales (R5). Possibly racing out of his class in the Newmarket Handicap, but is rated highly by the stable and should be ready to strike some form after a long layoff. A good effort here could be a pointer to an early win over more ground.