Ruby Tuesday

Ruby Tuesday put up a nice performance on her racecourse debut to finish fourth in a 10-furlong maiden at Leopardstown on Sunday that could turn out to be quite a decent race. Rejected by stable jockey Joseph O’Brien in favour of her stable companion Meandering, the Ballydoyle filly was held up through the early stages of the race by Seamie Heffernan. Still last of the 11 fillies as they straightened up for home with just over two furlongs to race, she made nice progress through her field, finishing well on the far side to get to within two lengths of the first three fillies at the line.

This looked like a nice race beforehand, all the right yards were represented, and it was run at a good pace and in a good time. The winning time was the second-fastest comparative time of the day, only marginally slower than the 2000 Guineas Trial, and it was around three seconds faster than the other two races – the colts’ maiden and the all-aged handicap – run over the same course and distance on the day. There could be a few winners coming out of this race.

Ruby Tuesday is impeccably bred, by Galileo out of the Darshaan mare Jude. That makes her a full-sister to Noblesse Stakes runner-up Betterbetterbetter, and a three-parts sister to Irish 1000 Guineas winner Yesterday, Moyglare Stakes winner Quarter Moon and Oaks-placed All My Loving. She could progress significantly from this, her racecourse debut – almost all the Ballydoyle two- and three-year-olds progress from their seasonal debuts at this stage of the season – and it is not stretching it to say that she could yet progress sufficiently to be an Epsom Oaks or an Irish Oaks filly, despite the fact that she is not currently quoted in the Oaks betting. She may not be a great worker at home, that may be why she was passed over by Joseph in favour of Meandering, but she will be of big interest when she runs next.

30th March 2014