A sparkling anti-clockwise gallop by Rubick has convinced Gerald Ryan he is primed for the Blue Diamond Prelude and the colt’s relaxed nature has the trainer confident he will handle the float trip south.
Rubick worked at Rosehill on Monday morning with race jockey Brenton Avdulla aboard and was due to travel overnight to get ready for Saturday’s Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield which attracted 23 entries.
The colt went straight to the top of the markets for the $1 million Group One Blue Diamond (1200m) after his debut win at Randwick, deposing Earthquake who runs in the Fillies Prelude.
“He worked enormous this morning,” Ryan said. “We galloped him over 800 metres and timed him at 51.5 seconds,” Ryan said.
“He ran his last 400 metres in 22.82 and last 200 metres in 11.33 and did it easily.
“He will go down to Melbourne overnight. He’s only ever travelled to the Gold Coast sales and back so I wouldn’t have a clue how he will handle the trip.
“But he is such a relaxed horse and nothing seems to bother him so I think he will be fine.
“I’m happy, Brenton is happy and Rubick is happy.”
Rubick is the TAB’s $3 Blue Diamond favourite ahead of Earthquake at $4.80 and Saturday’s Chairman’s Stakes winner Nayeli at $7.50.
Next in order are Nostradamus ($10), Chivalry ($13) and Francesco ($15) who are all entered to take on Rubick on Saturday.
Both Nayeli and Francesco are trained by Gai Waterhouse for Greg and Donna Kolivos who raced 2012 two-year-old champion Pierro.
Francesco was relegated from second to third at his only start in a race won by Kumaon in December.
Earthquake’s Peter Snowden-trained stablemate Mohave, winner of the Blue Diamond Preview, is also entered for the colts and geldings division of the Preludes.
