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Ruby Sparkles in Build-up to Title Defence
19/02/13

Rock On Ruby, winner of last season’s Stan James Champion Hurdle, continues to please his trainer, Harry Fry, as he builds up to the defence of his hurdling crown on the opening day of the next month’s Cheltenham Festival, writes Elliot Slater.

Rock On Ruby
Racehorse Photos

Trained last season by Paul Nicholls, Rock On Ruby sprang a minor surprise when proving too powerful on the uphill run to the line for the front-running Overturn and the odds-on favourite and defending champion, Hurricane Fly, eventually crossing the winning line some three-and-three-quarter-lengths clear of the gallant runner-up.

A combination of an extra half-mile and the possible after-effects of his stunning Cheltenham victory contributed towards a lack-lustre effort on his final outing of last term when only third behind the classy Oscar Whisky in the Grade 1 Countrywide Flame.

Pundits with Bet Victor felt that Darlan was going just the better when coming to grief, but, regardless of who might have won, there is little doubt that the champion hurdler had improved significantly from his first run of the term.

Connections are now increasingly bullish that the current 6/1 chance in the Cheltenham odds can go very close indeed to retaining his title after improving again in recent work on the home gallops.