Dual stakes winner Ripcord will need a form reversal to win Saturday’s Group 3 Gold Rush (1400m) at Ascot, but trainer Luke Fernie is confident the four-year-old can bounce back and claim the $1.5 million feature.
After a credible fifth in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington, Ripcord struggled, finishing last in the Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and ninth in the Group 2 Damien Oliver (1400m) at Flemington.
Fernie believes Ripcord’s best form, which includes victories in the Listed Perth Stakes (1100m) as a juvenile and the Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) as a three-year-old, is enough to secure him a win in Saturday’s Group 3.
“He was only going if he was one hundred per cent and he showed in the trial (winning at Belmont on November 25) he’s in a good head space,” Fernie told TABradio.
“His characteristics behind the scenes are what we needed to see, and I’m happy.
“At his best, I feel he has the most x-factor in the race, but we need to see him do it after a couple of poor performances.
“His first run was fantastic, the second was when he was crook and then his last start at Flemington, I think he just got overawed by the occasion – he was a real handful that day.
“He did everything before he got onto the track. If he can relax and do everything right this week, it should reflect how he went in the trial.”
Ripcord is currently a $27 chance for The Gold Rush with horse racing bookmakers.
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