With the scratching of Ausbred Flirt, the Gary Portelli-trained Ruby Tuesday has been a market firmer for the Group 3 Belle Of The Turf at Gosford on Wednesday.
Brad Widdup confirmed on Tuesday that Ausbred Flirt will head to the paddock after her second placing at Randwick last Saturday instead of lining up in the $240,000 midweek feature over 1600 metres.
Even before the former race favourite was taken out, money had come for Ruby Tuesday who firmed from $16 into $13.
A winner last start at Rosehill in a BM78 Handicap over 1350 metres on December 3, Ruby Tuesday has her best chance yet to claim black type status, according to Portelli.
“She’s come back stronger than at any other time,” Portelli said.
“She’s been a mare that’s been a little bit difficult to train with a few issues – nothing major, just issues that have seen her become unsound during her preparations but this time she’s had no issues.
“She’s been working very strongly and she goes there with us confident that we’ll be able to get black type with her for a long time.”
It is, at times, tricky enough planning a horse’s preparation but for Portelli and the ownership there has been the extra incentive throughout the six-year-old mare’s 28-start career.
“We haven’t had too many goes with it because we’ve been trying to win as much prizemoney as we can seeing that 10 per-cent of the fees and prizemoney goes to breast cancer research,” he said.
“So we’ve been trying to get as much of that as we can but now if we can get the black type her value will go through the roof.”
Adept on rain affected ground and on firmer surfaces, Ruby Tuesday – to be ridden by Jason Collett – has ventured to Gosford twice before with the second occasion delivering a win in a fillies and mares BM64 event over 1200 metres in July 2020.
“Gosford is a tricky track – having been there is a positive and going up to the mile I think everything is in good order,” Portelli said.
“We’re hoping with the month between runs that there’s no second-up syndrome and she’s ready to go.
“She’s a trier and it is a handy race, no doubt.”
After Ausbred Flirt’s scratching, the Kris Lees-trained Ella Te Ama is the favourite for the Belle Of The Turf at $5.50 with the Waterhouse and Bott-trained Nothinsweetaboutme on the second line at $6.