The powerful Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman training partnership struck gold in the first stakes race on the card at Pukekohe on Saturday when Rubira and Ole Ole fought out the finish of the Listed Diamond Lodge Champagne Stakes (1600m).
Forsman had expressed some trepidation
about the duo handling the Heavy10 surface prior to the race but those fears
proved groundless as they set down to a tooth and nail struggle over the
concluding stages that came out in favour of Rubira.
The pair had clashed over 1100m at New Plymouth earlier in the month where Ole Ole had beaten his stablemate home that day however the Lope De Vega filly reversed that result as she broke her maiden status with a polished display in the testing conditions.
"Stepping up to the mile was always going to be the go for her," said rider Danielle Johnson.
"She ground it out nicely at her last start, but the extra distance was always going to be her friend.
"What she is doing now she is doing on ability so once she has a break and strengthens up she could be very smart."
Forsman, who shares in the ownership of both the winner and runner-up, was delighted with the performance of his charges.
"They both went brilliantly," he said.
"The lack of experience for Ole Ole, who had only had one start, probably told in the end but I thought it was a gutsy effort to lead them up on that track.
"Rubira is a filly we have always held in high regard and with that one extra run under her belt it probably told in the end.
"She will go out for a spell now and then we will figure out what to do with her in the spring. She is going to make a lovely three-year-old.
"Ole Ole could have one more run as he seems to get through the ground well and he will improve with racing." – NZ Racing Desk
