Good Saturday for Rubick

It was a good Saturday for Rubick with a promising winner at Flemington in Café Rizu (3f Rubick x Calm Smytzer, by Zabeel) and a new stakes-horse with The Face (3g Rubick x Crazy Quality, by Elusive Quality (USA) claiming third in the Listed ATC Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill.

Prepared by Gerald Ryan, The Face showed serious ability when bolting in on debut at Gosford last month and confirmed his potential in his first attempt at Black Type.

The Face challenged the leader and eventual winner Anders in the run and while he faded at the finish on the heavy 9 track, his effort was filled with merit for a horse clearly still a long way off full maturity.

It might not be until the autumn that we see the best of The Face.

Progressive filly Café Rizu relished a step up in distance at Flemington to score a determined victory.

Given a great ride by Damien Oliver, the Mick Price and Mick Kent Jr trained filly was strong to the line winning the Benchmark 70 event over 1800m by a short head.

It was the second win in a row for Café Rizu, who broke her maiden last start at Ballarat over 1500m.

“It was a good staying effort in testing conditions and she’s a nice filly going forward,” said Mick Kent Jr.

A $100,000 Inglis Classic purchase for M G Price Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd from the Coolmore draft, Café Rizu has two wins and a second from just five starts and has already nearly won back her purchase price banking over $95,000 in prizemoney.

A half-sister to Group I New Zealand Oaks place-getter Star Karen, Café Rizu was foaled and raised at Coolmore and is the eighth winner from Group I placed Zabeel mare Calm Smytzer, who is also the grand-dam of Group III winner Hear the Chant.

Calm Smytzer died earlier this year and her final foal is an unnamed two year-old colt by Rubick, who was the Champion Second Crop Sire last season and leading 3YO Sire by earnings.

Rubick stands at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $33,000.