A small but select field aiming for The Ribot!!!

What a great weekend of racing we have in Italy.

One of our feature races over the weekend is the G2 – The Ribot for 3yo’s & up open to all horses over 8F on the firm turf.

Unbelievably we only have a field of 7 runners facing the starter today for the $250,000 purse but there is no doubting the quality of the horses making their way around to the starter.

Let’s have a quick look and see if we can find the winner!!!

1. RAINBOW RIDGE Owner: marsattack Jockey: J Stivers 22-12-4-3 7/2
An ultra consistent colt who hasn’t ran a below triple figure SP’s in his past nine starts. Last start in the G2 – The Drummer Boy stakes he settled midfield early before finishing his race off well going down by a length with a 106SP. A repeat performance of any of his last nine starts will see him hard to beat.

2. GIFTED ANIMATOR Owner: Elysium Jockey: L Rollins 21-5-7-5 3/1
Gifted by name and it would seem gifted by nature. The son of Falbrav has raced in some of the biggest races in simland and has held his own. Two starts back in the G1 – Judgemont International he settled midfield early before powering home to just miss by a ¼ length with a 109SP. A class horse that you can’t discount his chances.

3. BORNAGAINBYFAITH Owner: willyam13 Jockey: P Harzheim 10-5-1-3 7/1
A beautifully bred 3yo colt by Malibu Moon. Last time out was his first venture into stakes racing and what a debut it was. He led early as is the norm before going for home on the turn to only get run down late finishing second with a 110SP. If he can get a cheap section or two early he will be extremely hard to run down.

4. BACH Owner: nativedancer Jockey: H Harzheim 15-6-4-0 9/2
Amazingly has raced at G3 or higher in his past 12 starts. Two starts back in the G2 – The Rennen Mile he settled midfield early before finishing well running second beaten 1 ¾ lengths. You could judge his chance on a number of runs and you wouldn’t be betting against him with his record.

5. MALIBU GROOVES Owner: jrogue1 Jockey: J Wilson 14-3-3-2 11/1
An interesting runner here who after a stakes win his for has fallen away ever so slightly. Last time out in a NW4L Allowance he settled near the tail early before finishing his work off well beaten 1 ¾ lengths with a 106SP. There has been nothing wrong with his SP’s of late and definitely a value bet at 11/1.

6. OUTBACK TAURUS Owner: kyogle Jockey: S Ledwith 15-6-3-2 7/2
A well bred son of Sea The Stars from the powerful Kyogle stable. We assess his chances here today from the G2 – The Sunny Mile. In that race he settled in the lead before steadily increasing the margin and finshing well enough in the stretch to win by 1 ¾ lengths with a 110SP. Anywhere near a repeat of his last three starts will see him hard to beat.

7. STICKY STATIC Owner: bbaffert2 Jockey: T Brewer 22-7-3-4 4/1
Another runner who has posted 100+SP’s in his last nine starts. Two starts ago in the Listed – Doggie Walacki Turf Mile the son of Heliostatic settled last early and got well out of his ground early before finishing strongly to run third beaten 2 ½ lengths with a 106SP. Ultra consistent and if he runs to his norm will be hard to beat here.

What a lovely group of horses and a win by any of these wouldn’t surprise.

For my money the numbers are 2-3-6.

Good Luck to All Runners and I hope they all come back to the stables healthy!!!