Sir Ruby Reigns in NZB Ready to Run Graduate Cup
A strong finish down the Selangor home straight carried Sir Ruby (NZ) (King Of Comedy) to victory in the lucrative RM150,000 NZB Ready to Run Graduate Cup (1400m) in Malaysia on Sunday.
Sir Ruby was a $60,000 purchase from Phoenix Park's 2024 Ready to Run Sale draft at Karaka by his trainer Joseph Leck. The three-year-old gelding has now had seven starts for three wins, a placing and over RM150,000 (NZ$65,331) in stakes.
Previously a winner over 1300m on October 26 and over 1500m on November 30, Sir Ruby went into Sunday’s race second-up in a new preparation. He had resumed with a 10th over 1100 metres on March 15.
Sunday’s assignment was far from an easy one, jumping from the outside gate in a field of 11 and with the equal topweight of 58 kilograms on his back. But Sir Ruby showed that he was up to the task.
There was a strong pace through the early part of the race, which saw the field string right out and allowed Sir Ruby’s jockey Harmeet Singh Gill to get across to the rail in sixth place.
Sir Ruby moved away from the fence at the top of the straight and into a perfect gap that appeared four off the rail. He moved through his gears and charged past the leader Mega Valor (Bivouac) in the final 100 metres, then withstood a late challenge from Mega Skye (NZ) (Ocean Park) to win by a neck.
“He jumped well and the field was stretched out with the leaders going hard at it,” Gill said. “I managed to bring them back to me and a gap opened up nicely in the straight. I got through and the horse hit the line well.”
Leck was delighted with Sunday’s performance.
“What an incredible day,” he said. “Despite the challenging draw we got, Sir Ruby showed unbelievable grit and determination to win.”
Sunday’s runner-up Mega Skye was offered by Waikato Stud at the 2024 Ready to Run Sale and was bought by Captain Tan Tiang Huat for $65,000. The third-placed Mega Valor is a graduate of Regal Farm’s draft and was bought by Mr Ananthen Kuppan for $80,000.
This was the second year in a row that the NZB Ready to Run Graduate Cup has been taken out by a horse bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds. Last year’s edition of the race was won by Duma (NZ) (Too Darn Hot).
The Selangor Turf Club has teamed up with NZB to establish a series of races that incentivise purchasing from the world-leading Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.
The second race in Selangor’s series of Ready to Run graduate races is the NZB Ready to Run Open Championship, which will be run for a stake of RM300,000 later in the year.
