She was not the fastest qualifier but the box draw has ensured Ruff Cut Diamond will start one of the favourites in Saturday night’s Group 3 Bohemia Crystal Sydney Cup final (720m) at Wentworth Park.
Ruff Cut Diamond led throughout to win her heat comfortably on Saturday in 41.90, in front of a late finishing Mr Corsair and Zipping Maggie.
The night got even better for Ruff Cut Diamond when her trainer Mick Fearnley drew box two for the final.
While upbeat about the final following the box draw, Ruff Cut Diamond’s trainer Mick Fearnley admitted he was disappointed with her time.
"She went a tick slower than she did in her first Wentworth Park race but I had expected her to find around four lengths," Fearnley said on Saturday night.
"I drove from Melbourne on the day of the race and maybe the travelling took a little out of her but I’m loathe to come up the day before the final and have to put her in a strange kennel overnight."
In the other heat, Zipping Rory, who has started at double figure odds at his past five starts, sprung a surprise by leading throughout in 41.75, around seven lengths faster than his previous best Wentworth Park figures.
Zipping Rory won easily from favourite Sweet It Is, who again managed to find trouble despite having just four rivals.
Peter Dapiran, who trains both Zipping Rory and Zipping Maggie, was pleased with their heat runs.
“Although Zipping Maggie was beaten she didn’t have a lot of luck and once Ruff Cut Diamond beat her out of the boxes and cut her off she was always going to have her work cut out," Dapiran said.
In terms of betting for the cup, bookmaker Sam Vardakas said: “Ruff Cut Diamond looks a good thing to win the Cup after drawing box two.
“Her only flaw is that she seems to ease down slightly on the bends."
Fellow bookie Mark Merlino agreed Ruff Cut Diamond would be the one to beat in the final, but warned punters not to “SACK" Sweet It Is.
"She hasn’t gone as well as she can in her past couple of starts but Sweet It Is remains the danger to the favourite," Merlino said.
And Sydney trainer Charlie Riccio, who caught Sweet It Is on behalf of her Melbourne trainer Darren McDonald, said: “Box six is okay for her because the further away from the rails she is the better she likes it."
The box draw for the Group 3 Sydney Cup is: 1. Mr Corsair 2. Ruff Cut Diamond 3. My Asuncion 4. Zipping Rory 5. Zipping Maggie 6. Sweet It Is 7. Paddles Anderson 8. Dusty Moonshine 9. Space Star 10. Tears Siam
In other results at Wentworth Park on Saturday night, Joe’s Chance earned a start in Saturday week ‘s Group 1 Vic Peters Classic heats with his personal best 29.97 win in the opening event.
After being fourth away Joe’s Chance bullied favourite Hilda’s Boy out of the lead going through the catching pen before comfortably holding off late surges from Melbourne visitor Feikuai Zack and Encapsulate.
"That was a really tough win and although he is just two years old this month he deserves a crack at the Vic Peters," Jack Roy, whose wife Lorraine trains Joe’s Chance, said.
Joe’s Chance’s litter brother and kennelmate SERIOUS Chance, who did not have any luck when fourth in a later race on Saturday night, will also line up for the Vic Peters heats.
Meanwhile Christine Proctor moved to a clear second spot on the Wentworth Park Trainers’ Premiership by scoring with siblings Kurmond Goddess on Friday night and with Kiss The Hawk on Saturday night.
Proctor trains the duo for their breeder Jamie Garay, who had to quit training because of time constraints imposed by his landscaping business.
See you next week!
