MORE Than Ready entire Better Than Ready’s Newmarket Handicap chances will take a giant leap forward should the Queenslander perform to expectation in tomorrow’s Group 2 MRC Rubiton Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
The multiple stakeswinner is favoured to take out this weekend’s feature off the back of his two wins in Brisbane in November including the Listed BRC Keith Noud Stakes over 1200m.
Better Than Ready was given an immediate let-up by trainer Kelly Schweida with an eye to the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in March.
Better Than Ready started $4.80 in last year’s straight six Group 1 finishing 5th to Shamexpress; the same position he filled when he contested the Group 1 BRC Doomben 10,000 in the winter of 2013.
Prior to that, the 4YO broke Northern Meteor’s 1200m course record when he won the Listed ATC Sir Brian Crowley Stakes in October 2012 running 1:8.19s.
Meanwhile at Randwick, handsome colt Next Level is aiming to add his name to the exhaustive list of race winners bred on the wildly successful More Than Ready/Danehill mare nick when he takes on reigning Breeders’ Plate winner Law in the opener.
No fewer than 12 stakeswinners are bred on the cross including 3 Group 1 winners and recent new stakeswinner and Blue Diamond hopeful, Nayeli.
Should he be successful, Next Level will take More Than Ready’s tally of Aus/Nz individual race winners to 498 (69 percent winners to runners) and his global tally to 1152.
