RUBY'S A REAL FLYER

SUNDAY: June 25, 2023: LIGHTLY-RACED Hawkesbury four-year-old Ruby Flyer’s impressive Newcastle victory was popular as far afield as the United Kingdom.

“Lucy can train a winner from England,” husband and co-trainer Jason Attard chuckled in the wake of their gelding’s demolition job on his rivals in the Port Stephens Cup (a 1600m Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap).

“She is visiting family and friends overseas, and has been to one of the Royal Ascot meetings.”

Jason Attard also missed Ruby Flyer’s win – his third from four starts this campaign – as he was at Royal Randwick to saddle Knight, their Hawkesbury Saturday stand-alone winner from last year, who resumed after a lengthy absence.

“Neil Johns kindly took Ruby Flyer to Newcastle, and fellow Hawkesbury trainers, who had runners at the meeting, helped saddle him for his race,” Jason Attard said.

Given the run of the race from his inside barrier by Rory Hutchings, Ruby Flyer ($7) had the race won soon after straightening and cleared out to score by three and a half lengths from Mydeel ($5.50) and Vandelay Style ($8).

The Flying Artie gelding is in career best form, and his co-trainer is confident he can make his mark in town.

“I’ve got no doubt he is up to city grade,” Jason Attard said.

“His only defeat this preparation was at his previous start at Warwick Farm when he was caught wide.

“I was confident he could get back into the winning list yesterday, especially drawing the inside alley.

“Rory gave him a beaut ride, and it was an easy watch.

‘My only regret was how he would handle yesterday’s ‘Good 4’ surface, as I wondered whether he was simply a wet tracker like his mother (Kellyville Flyer won twice in Sydney on heavy ground, and also was placed in a Group 3 Newcastle Newmarket on a soft track.”