Ben Looker believes he’s on ‘the class runner of the field’ when jumping aboard the Matthew Dunn-trained Rainbow Connection ($6) in Saturday’s Northern Rivers Country Championships qualifier.
With the event moved from Lismore to Grafton due to the ongoing wet-weather event in Northern NSW, it should suit the six-year-old.
A three-time winner who’s placed in Group 3 and Listed company, Rainbow Connection is a half-brother to champion galloper Golden Sixty.
The spotlight has always been on the Choisir gelding, who’s raced against good horses for most of his career, and Looker is hoping the Murwillumbah galloper can live up to his lofty billing in the $150,000 qualifier.
“You’ve only got to look back a couple of years, and he ran second in a Hawkesbury Guineas to that good horse (Exoboom) and third to Ellsberg and Private Eye in a Listed race,” Looker told NSW Country and Picnic Racing.
“He’s had his issues the last couple of years, but in three runs this prep, he’s continued to improve.
“He’s racing well, and if Matt’s got him back anywhere near his best, he’s the best horse in the race.”
Connections have drawn awkwardly with gate 13, which will be softened after scratchings, but Looker is hoping that a fast tempo counteracts the wide draw.
“You can fire him up if you go a bit aggressive, but the way the race is speed map-wise, a horse left of him in Swift Charm recently led in a Highway over 1200m, and you’d have to think he will go forward, and Ash Al Lad on in the inside of us will jump and run, as that is its natural racing pattern.
“With speed inside and outside, a lot of tempo in the race, and with him getting in 2kg above the minimum, he should get a good run, and if he is going anywhere near his best, he’ll be hard to beat.”
If anything, Looker is happy to be drawn a touch wide, as he plans to keep Rainbow Connection out of trouble and in a good rhythm.
“I think he will be in the first half of the field,” Looker said.
“I don’t want to be too negative for the sole fact that a few horses will be roadblocks in the race from the 600m onwards.
“If anything, I’d rather draw (barrier) 13 than one, and it means I won’t have to nudge him to hold a spot, and if there is a little speed, we can flow with the race and find a good spot and hopefully finish off strongly.”
Looker agreed it was a tough Country Championship heat, and after the scratchings of stablemates Fukubana and Belvedere Boys – two horses he has a big opinion of – the respected jockey thought another stablemate in Veandechance was an outside chance if the conditions suit.
With Luke Rolls in the saddle, the four-year-old Vancouver mare draws awkwardly with gate 19 and comes into the race after finishing eighth when beaten just shy of four lengths in the $250,000 Magic Millions Rising Stars (1300m) at the Gold Coast in early January.
“Veandechance has half flown under the radar, and if it is heavy, she’ll be right in it; she loves a wet track,” Looker said.
“She won a maiden at Canterbury after running third at Canterbury, and they were both on heavy tracks, and she’s a horse that wasn’t beaten far in a good race at the Gold Coast.
“All you have to do is watch her trial at Murwillumbah on a heavy ten; they don’t trial much better than that in those conditions.”
At the time of publishing, Grafton was a soft 6 with the rail out 3m the entire circumference.
Grafton is forecast to receive 5-10mm of rain on Saturday, mainly in the morning, so readers should keep up-to-date with Racing Australia for track upgrades/downgrades.
For more on the Country Championships, click here.
For more on the Grafton race day, click here.
