The Face (AUS)
The Face (AUS)
2 g Rubick – Crazy Quality by Elusive Quality
O: Mr S W Smith, Mr G J Fulton, Ms V M Smith, Mr M J Hopkins, Mr J McCaig, Mr M Cleaver, Mr R H Williams
B: Noorilim Park Thoroughbreds
T: Gerald Ryan
W: Walker Bros Timber & Building Supplies Maiden Plate, 1100m, July 25, Gosford
Trainer Gerald Ryan, the man who guided Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) throughout his Group 1-winning career, has become renowned as something of a master at preparing the champion sire’s progeny.
If he strikes the same success with sons and daughters of Rubick (Encosta De Lago), a horse he prepared to win two Group races in 2014, it will be another feather in the cap of the Rosehill handler.
The Face became Ryan’s third winner by Rubick, joining The Face’s brother Mr Mosaic and three-year-old filly Amica, when he took out an 1100-metre maiden at Gosford last Saturday.
A winner of two barrier trials, including an impressive hit out where he finished a length and a quarter ahead of the highly-touted North Pacific (Brazen Beau), The Face was sent out as the well-supported $1.55 favourite in a field of five.
Ridden by James Innes Jnr, The Face jumped away smartly before settling outside leader and main market danger Hurt Money (I Am Invincible).
He put pressure on the leader around the turn, showing a good turn of foot to put a margin on his rivals halfway down the straight.
Despite showing signs of greenness in the straight, including ducking out near the line – which some pundits put down to the big screen in the centre of the track – he had a margin of three lengths over Hurt Money at the line, with a half-length back to Bondi Blue (Lonhro) in third.
Bred by Noorilim Park Thoroughbreds, The Face is out of the Elusive Quality (Gone West) mare Crazy Quality, an Ipswich maiden winner from six starts. She has produced six named foals, all having raced for five winners.
She herself is out of two-time Listed winner Crazy Neaux (Raveneaux); in addition to The Face, Crazy Neaux is the second dam of Group 2 winner La Bella Dame (Royal Academy) and Listed victor Galvanized (Rubiton), both who have produced stakes winners themselves.
After having a year off in 2017, Crazy Quality visited Rubick once more in 2018, while she is currently in foal to Japanese shuttler Mikki Isle (Deep Impact).
Rubick will stand at Coolmore Australia for $33,000 (inc GST) this year.