Queensland bred horses made a huge impression last weekend in stakes races on the East Coast and none more so than improving Red Dazzler four year-old Rudy, who scored a determined win in the time honoured Group II ATC Villiers Stakes over a mile.
Prepared by Helen Page, Rudy was thereabouts in several stakes races during the
Brisbane Winter Carnival, but has blossomed this preparation winning the Listed
BRC Recognition Stakes over 1630 metres before coming to Sydney.Ridden superbly by Luke Tarrant, Rudy arrived in the nick of time to win by a short neck, his overall record now seven wins from 18 starts with prizemoney of $455,850.
Rudy (pictured Steve Hart) was retained to race by his breeders Dr Tom Clarke and his brothers Don and David and is the best of three winners from Success Express (USA) mare Go On Now Go, a half-sister to the dam of stakes-winner Mister Milton.
"It was an enormous thrill to go to Randwick and win a race like the Villiers with a horse that you've bred and race with your brothers," said Dr Tom Clarke, who comes from the small town of Chinchilla, which is two hours drive west of Toowoomba.
"I've raced quite a few horses over the years, mostly provincial type horses, but nothing like Rudy.
"He was our first Saturday winner and now our first stakes-winner."
Rudy showed ability from day one.
"Helen Page rang me after his first jump-out and said 'I can't believe what Rudy has just done!'" said Dr Clarke.
"He'd come from five lengths off them and just gone whoosh, winning the jump-out by six lengths."
Dr Clarke knew he had a good horse, but has had a mixed relationship with his star galloper.
"I'm 61, but I'm a hands on man with the horses and keep them at my property at Chinchilla where I do a lot of the pre-training and work with the young horses myself… or at least I did until Rudy put paid to that!" revealed Dr Clarke.
"About 18 months ago, I was riding him back from the track one morning when he was full of grain and feeling well. Telstra had been digging a trench along the side of the road and Rudy shied at a bird and fell into the trench, slamming me into the ground.
"I broke my collar bone and I'm amazed he didn't break his leg. He got up and was just staring down at me with mud on his nose and a funny look on his face!"
Rudy is the fourth foal of Go On Now Go, who won seven races in Queensland up to 1450 metres.
"My brother and some of his friends bought her as a tried horse to race around the bush and have some fun with and when she finished up they were going to sell her," Dr Clarke recalled.
"I was looking to buy a mare at the time and went down to the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale to see what was on offer and as a result decided she was pretty good value for the price they had on her so went home and bought her."
Her first foal, a colt by Monashee Mountain (USA), showed speed, but couldn't finish off his races and the next two foals, fillies by Hotel Grand (Dorchester) and Refuse to Bend (IRE) (Never Give An Inch) are both winners.
"Dorchester was also with Helen Page and was good enough to win at Doomben, but unfortunately she broke both sesamoids at trackwork and had to be put down," said Dr Clarke.
"Never Give an Inch is with Sean Dwyer and won at Wangaratta last year, but she's not been easy to train having had a couple of bone chips and some temperament issues.
"We were thinking she'd just go off to be a hack somewhere, but as a half-sister to a Group Two winner she's now earned herself a career at stud."
There is also an unraced three year-old filly by Teofilo (IRE) called Puerto
Padre that is in work with Bjorn Baker."My son Jim did the Darley Flying Start course and is now Racing and Bloodstock Manager for Bjorn Baker, so she's gone down there," said Dr Clarke.
"She's back in work now and will hopefully get through to a trial with a long term goal of the Queensland Oaks."
15 year-old Go On Now Go is still going strong and has a yearling colt by Reset and has foaled this spring producing a filly by Denman.
She is currently in Victoria at Glenelg Park and has just tested positive to Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet.
"I only have two broodmares and pick the stallions myself," Dr Clarke said.
"I've always followed thoroughbred racing around the world and stallions like Sadler's Wells, Danehill, Red Ransom and Zabeel are the influences I like."
Rudy will now take a well-earned Christmas break before returning in 2015 to try his hand at Group I goals.
"We're looking at races like the Doncaster in the Autumn and Stradbroke in Brisbane during the winter, but I believe he'll run 2000 metres, so that opens the door to other opportunities down the track," Dr Clarke concluded.
