New Zealand
Unrestrained seeking Ruakaka redemption
Rudy Liefting is dreaming of a Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) tilt with his filly Unrestrained in February, with her performance at Ruakaka on Wednesday dictating whether she continues down that path.
The three-year-old daughter of Time Test has shown plenty of promise for the Pukekohe horseman, finishing runner-up to highly-regarded filly Transcend when on debut at Ruakaka in September before just missing out on black-type when fourth in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (1400m) at Ellerslie a fortnight later.
She has mixed her form since then, with a third placing over a mile at Pukekohe splitting unplaced runs in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial 3YO (1500m).
While disappointed in her last couple of stakes outings, Liefting is hoping a return to Ruakaka, and a drop back to maiden grade in the 6 Jan – Trigg Family Fun Race Day 1600, will help get his filly's preparation back on track.
"She gave us a little bit of hope when she ran a (fourth) placing in the fillies race and when she ran second in her first start to a good filly, but she has put in a couple of disappointing runs since," Liefting said.
"Her last start at Ellerslie was disappointing, she had every chance and was well-ridden.
"The good thing is that she is still a maiden, so she has got the chance to drop back to maiden grade and get her form back.
"I am a believer in horses for courses, so I thought Ruakaka is sitting there and she did run second to Transcend there, the timing seems right, so we will give her a crack up there."
Wednesday will be a crossroads for Unrestrained, with further black-type opportunities awaiting her if she performs up to expectations, or the spelling paddock if she does not.
"We will try and work her way back to a fillies race," Liefting said. "Our pipedream is the Oaks. We are going to pay up for that. The Oaks is at Ellerslie, and she has got a staying pedigree, so we are going to try and utilise that and try and get there."
Unrestrained is currently the only horse in work with Liefting, who is currently contemplating the future with his jumper Mont Ventoux.
The 10-year-old gelding has performed on both the flat and over fences, winning nine races in total, including the Kiwifruit Cup (2100m), and was runner-up in last year's Great Northern Hurdle (4200m), and placed in this year's Waikato Hurdle (3200m) and Wellington Hurdle (3200m).
"I am looking at retiring Mont Ventoux, he is a horse that wants to be active at pony club, but I can't find a home for him, so I will probably end up putting him back in work," Liefting said.
"He has been a good horse and was the only reason I kept training for a while. I won a race or two every year with him and he ended up winning nine races and nearly $300,000, he was more than handy."
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