Anakie-based trainer Jeff Britton is welcoming silencing the backbiters who deem Mepunga Ruby “lucky” to be contesting the invitational $121,500 Group 1 Sportsbet Topgun Stayers (730m) – Race 6, 8.29pm – at The Meadows on Saturday night.
The Topgun Stayers, which carries a $75,000 first prize, is part of the inaugural world’s richest $4.1m Dream Chasers Festival – also featuring five Saturday nights of live free-to-air television coverage on racing.com (Channel 78 & 68).
A nine-time G1 finalist, Mepunga Ruby hasn’t raced since sustaining a metatarsal injury at The Gardens in Newcastle on June 4.
“I don’t think there was a dog ‘knocking down the door’ to take her spot in the race.”
But Britton is confident Mepunga Ruby is primed to “run a really good race”.
“I’ve kept her fresh, but she’s had six weeks of trialling and I couldn’t be happier with the way she’s been pulling up,” he said. “She’s been running quick sections over 600 metres and her post-trial recovery has been really good.”
And the normally mild-mannered Britton couldn’t resist taking a pot-shot at the denigrators.
“I don’t think there was a dog ‘knocking down the door’ to take her spot in the race… You’ve got to make Group race finals to make a case for selection in these types of events.
“She’s got a good enough record to justify her place in the field. During her past 12 months of racing, she’s probably been the best female stayer in Australia.”
Statistics don’t lie – Mepunga Ruby has contested five G1 finals from her past 10 starts, including victory in the Fanta Bale Super Stayers on February 26.
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Mepunga Ruby (Box 4) produced a stunning 8.8L victory in 42.13sec – around three lengths off the 730m track record of 41.94sec, set by Space Star (trained by Britton’s brother, Rob) in a 12.3L Super Stayers heat romp on February 28, 2015.
However, Britton concedes there’s still “a bit of the unknown” whether Mepunga Ruby can reveal her ‘sparkling’ best first-up in elite company over the testing 730-metre staying journey – albeit she trialled in a fast 33.99sec over 595m at Sandown Park last Saturday.
But reality is Mepunga Ruby will need to be ‘gleaming’ after drawing Box 4. She’s $5 on Sportsbet’s fixed odds market, behind NSW staying queen Super Estrella at $1.50.
However, she’s won four races, with one second, from five starts exiting the ‘blue’ alley.
“It makes it a lot harder, but at least I didn’t draw too deep as it’s not a long run to the first corner,” Britton said. “And I preferred her away from the pace in the race; I didn’t want Super Estrella (Box 2) and Untapped (Box 6) drawn on either side of her.”
Mepunga Ruby (Mar ’19 Fernando Bale x Mepunga Rosie) – who hails from her breeder-owner Barry Smith’s pre-potent “Mepunga” maternal line – has raced on 39 occasions for 21 wins, seven seconds and three thirds, with $386,045 in prizemoney.
Britton is yet to win a Topgun Stayers, having finished fifth and sixth respectively with Hank The Hustler and Mepunga Ruby last year. He also finished fifth with Mepunga Tiara in 2015, and in 2020 True Detective was a scratching due to a stopper bone injury.
To that effect, Britton has been overshadowed by his older sibling who won the race in 2020 when Tornado Tears and his younger brother Here’s Tears went 1-2. (Tornado Tears finished fourth in 2019.) And in 2017, he finished runner-up with all-time great Fanta Bale.
“I guess it would stop Rob having bragging rights, to some degree, if Mepunga Ruby won,” Jeff quipped. “But seriously, it would be extra special considering everything she’s endured.”
WATCH: Victorian ‘distance diva’ MEPUNGA RUBY (B4) sparkles with an 8.8L G1 Fanta Bale Super Stayers win in 42.13sec at The Meadows on February 26.
