Longer-term ramifications mean just as much as the prizemoney for a comeback galloper in Saturday’s Gr.3 Japan Racing Association Plate (2000m) at Randwick.
Rising Red will contest the A$150,000 event at his third run back from a tendon injury that cost the four-year-old a year of his career.
Rising Red sustained the injury when splitting outstanding gallopers Gingernuts and Jon Snow in the 2017 New Zealand Derby. Gingernuts and John Snow went on to more Group One success while Rising Red was in the paddock recuperating.
Training partners Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young have high hopes for Rising Red in the spring, but the son of Redwood must get himself into the big races by increasing his handicapper rating.
Rising Red is currently rated 90. Busuttin knows that won’t be enough to get him into Group races in the spring so the gelding needs to perform in races like the JRA Plate.
“He’s probably the horse on the up but this time 14 or 15 months ago, he was running around in Benchmark 64 races and couldn’t break through,” Busuttin said.
“I’m very keen on the spring for him but the problem is, he is rated 90 so he’s in no-man’s land at that time of the year.
“There’s the Hollindale Cup and the Doomben Cup maybe but at the end of the day, he’s still got to go and do it.”
Rising Red has shown he could match it in Group races over 2000m and further with his two Victorian runs this time in. The stayer has finished strongly to be on the heels of the placegetters over unsuitable trips at Flemington and Bendigo.
Busuttin said connections are pleased with his progress but aren’t getting carried away yet.
“You take the Derby out of it, the last start before that was a (Benchmark) 78 race. We’re not getting carried away but we’re really positive on how he has come up this time in,” Busuttin said.
“Last start it was a great run in the mile.
“He has thickened up into the best-looking horse and he’s so strong. With 53 on his back up there, he’ll run really well.”
Rising Red has the tricky barrier 14 in the JRA Plate. Andrew Adkins has the task of negating the barrier on the talented galloper. -racenet.com.au