MURRAY Bridge trainer Sarah Rutten will be competing for the first time in the district with Lift The Bar and Base Of Fire at the Mildura Motor Holdings-sponsored Mildura meeting at Sandilong Park this Sunday.
Rutten has only had a training licence for 12 months after previously having a long stint as travelling foreman for the Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable, which included a long association with Sunlight.
The star mare was a multiple Group 1 winner with 11 wins from 24 starts and $6.5 million in prizemoney.
“I was with Tony and Calvin for seven years and they were so good to work for, and travelling with and riding Sunlight throughout her career was a highlight for me,” Rutten said.
“It was only when Tony and Calvin moved to Victoria that I decided to go out on my own and take out a training licence.
“They (the McEvoys) sent me Kristobel, who was my first horse and first metropolitan winner, so she is a favourite of mine.”
Rutten has built her team to 17 in work and regularly has five to seven horses to pre-train for the leading SA stable of Richard and Chantelle Jolly.
The Rutten stable is hoping to continue the recent run of success at Mildura this Sunday when two horses contest race six, the bet365 Mildura Cup on July 19 Handicap.
Lift The Bar has had two starts for Rutten and is racing in career-best form, while Base Of Fire will be having his first run for the stable after recently transferring from the Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle stable.
“I am still learning about Base Of Fire, but he is a consistent horse who likes to race on the speed and Lift The Bar gets back in his races and finishes off strongly,” Rutten said.
“Lift The Bar is the better of the two at this stage as she is a progressive horse and I lean towards her as the better chance of my two runners.”
Lift The Bar opened up her winning account at Bordertown on April 14 when a big plunge was successful after she was heavily backed from $51 to $6.
The five-year-old then followed up with a fast-finishing second at Gawler on May 8.
“I am real happy with her as I didn’t know how she would go when I got her, but I have trained her differently and she has the sprint back in her legs,” Rutten said. “She is a happy horse in the stable. I am looking forward to see what she does and I am looking forward to the trip to Mildura.”
The in-form stable of Patrick Payne at Plumpton should continue his winning ways as his four horses, Damas, Oh So Thrilling, Black Peppermint and Stand By Me Ned, all likely to start the favoured runners in their respective races.
Swan Hill jockey Harry Coffey was successful at the previous Mildura program and the trend should continue as he again teams up with the Payne stable.
The interesting runner for the stable is the former New Zealander Damas, who can open up his winning account in Australia in the opening event, the Mildura Motor Holdings Maiden Plate.
The first of seven races will be at 12.30pm and entry is free.
The Mildura Racing Club is looking forward to staging the 100th running of the bet365 Mildura Cup on Friday, July 19, and all tickets and packages for the day can now be purchased at the country.racing.com/mildura website
Selections:
1: 9. Damas, 6. Lonely One, 3. Minesite, 8. Wanted In A Gust
2: 7. Oh So Thrilling, 9. Pop Quiz, 1. Jackie Moon, 2. King Protea
3: 1. Black Peppermint, 7. Shogun Express, 9. Exalted Belle, 12. Tosen Snowfall
4: 7. Elle McFearsome, 2. Bannerton, 3. Red Sequoia, 9. El Campeon
5: 5. Alesha Lily, 8. Magestic Diva, 6. Beldivian, 3. Upper East Side
6: 4. Lift The Bar, 7. Stirrup, 2. Base Of Fire, 6. Bon Hombre
7: 2. Stand By Me Ned, 4. Covert Witness, 5. Crazy Sheriff, 11. Aoife
Best Bet: Race 7: 2. Stand By Me Ned
