Coolmore's former dual Champion Australian Sire
Encosta De Lago (Fairy King-Shoal Creek, by Star Way) added more Group success when boom 3YO colt
Rubick (Encosta de Lago-Sliding Cube, by Rock of Gibraltar) defied an 8-month layoff to score by 1 length for trainer
Gerald Ryan in the $200,000 Gr2 Schillaci Stakes (1000m) at WFA for 3YOs+, over multiple Gr1-performed 6YO mare
Platelet (Strategic- Bloodline, by Dracula) &
Gr1 Golden Slipper-winning 4YO mare Overreach (Exceed and Excel out of Bahia, by Snippets), herself returning after nearly 18 months off the track.
Rubick is closely related to champion sire
Redoute's Choice.
REDOUTE'S CHOICE
Rubick took his record to 3 wins (also including the Gr3 Blue Diamond Prelude for colts & geldings) from 4 starts for earnings of $325,500.
His only blemish to date was when 4th behind Earthquake in the Gr1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
Saturday's win saw bookmakers tighten Gerald’s valuable colt into second favourite for the upcoming Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, with the trainer also intimating
Rubick is a live prospect to head to Royal Ascot in 2015.
ENCOSTA DE LAGO
Destined to replace his champion sire
Encosta de Lago at Coolmore when his racing days are done, the
Gerald Ryan trained colt was sidelined at the start of spring due to a virus, but showed he was well and truly over that minor hiccup with this sustained display of speed.
Ridden a treat by
Kerrin McEvoy from barrier one, Rubick led throughout and forged clear at the finish to win the 1000 metre dash.
“He had barrier one and we controlled it,” said Kerrin McEvoy.
“It’s amazing how many of these top sprinters have that nice relaxed attitude and that’s what he’s got.”
Rubick clocked a brisk 56.68 seconds and will now head to the Group 1 VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Derby Day.
“It’s three weeks to the Coolmore so he has that bit of improvement in him still to come,” said Gerald Ryan.
“He’s the best horse I’ve had since Snitzel.”
A three-quarter brother-in-blood to Group 1 winner Manhattan Rain, Rubick is the third foal of Group 3 winner Sliding Cube, a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winners Redoute’s Choice and Platinum Scissors and half-sister to Manhattan Rain, who is of course also by Encosta de Lago.
While most of this family has been retained by his breeder Muzaffar Yaseen’s Teeley Assets, Rubick was consigned to the sales under the Vinery Stud banner and was sold at Magic Millions last year for $460,000.
Coolmore subsequently bought into the colt after he had started racing and he now runs for a partnership that includes Stallion Racing, Werrett Bloodstock, Jadeskye Syndicate and Teeley Assets, who elected to retain a share.
Rubick is one of 103 stakes-winners for champion sire Encosta de Lago, who is 21 and stands at a fee of $38,500.