A narrow, but impressive win at The Valley could have set lightly raced colt Ruuca up for a crack at the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Trained at the Gold Coast by Toby and Trent Edmonds, Ruuca was having his third start in Friday night’s MSC Signs Handicap (1000m) for three-year-olds.

With Damien Oliver aboard, $4.20 favourite Ruuca tracked up approaching the home turn then sprinted through a gap to beat Neidorp by half a length with Sizzlefly three-quarters of a length away third.

Ruuca was also entered for Saturday’s Group Three Australia Stakes (1200m) on the Cox Plate program but Toby Edmonds opted for the shorter race.

He said it suited better after the colt had a minor setback early this month and missed a race at Ballarat.

Edmonds said the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) for three-year-olds at Flemington on Saturday week was an option for the colt who has won two of his three starts.

“He’s a chance to run in the Coolmore but I’m not going to say definitely,” Edmonds said.

“The race mapped so beautifully for him tonight, especially from that good barrier (4).

“I was quite tempted to run him tomorrow but he had a minor setback a couple of weeks ago.

“I thought the 1000 metres might just be ideal tonight for a platform into something else later.

“He didn’t beat them by far but it’s only 1000 metres. Once he gets out to 1200 and 1400 metres he’s going to be a heap better.”

Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au