Erno’s Cube shines in Reisling Stakes
Erno’s Cube (Rubick) stayed on bravely all the way to the line under Jason Collett to win yesterday’s Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick, but could swerve the Golden Slipper at Rosehill on March 23 in favour of the Percy Sykes Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) back at Randwick on April 13.
Last seen finishing third in the Silver Slipper (Gr 2, 1100m) on February 24, the Ciaron Maher-trained filly defeated the James Cummings-trained Silmarillion (Too Darn Hot) by a short-head with Too Darn Lizzie (Too Darn Hot) another head away in third.
“We will see how she comes through it first. The Slipper is always tempting, but the boys seem to be better than the fillies this year,” stable representative Johann Gerard-Dubord said.
“She’d gone two weeks from the Silver Slipper, so the right thing to do would be to give her a bit of time and go to the Percy Sykes, but we’ll see how she comes through it. It’s a discussion to have also, now she is a Group 2 winner.
“She has been going for a long time, she’s had a little freshen between races but she seems to handle her racing very well.
“She is still improving physically and mentally but still doing plenty wrong. From that gate it was always going to be a bit tricky.
“She didn’t help herself early, once she got a bit of cover she dropped the bridle and it was a good effort to be able to quicken and get her nose in front.
“She had two weeks after the Gimcrack where she was a bit disappointing and did a few things wrong. She had a week in the paddock after Magic Millions and that’s all. She goes to Bong Bong after her runs, it’s a great facility, she puts her head down in the paddock for a few days and that keeps her going.
“It keeps her fresh and very fit. If we didn’t have Bong Bong, we probably wouldn’t get the result we have today. We’ve got a good team there.
“It’s great to get a win for Mick Johnston and that group of owners.”