Rubira in action, with jockey in green sleeves and red cap. Photo – Trish Dunnell.
Cambridge-trained Rubira fought stablemate Ole Ole home to take out the Listed Diamond Lodge Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe last Saturday.
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Rubira and Ole Ole fought through the Heavy10 surface in a nail-biting finish to quinella the Champagne Stakes, despite Forsman’s concerns about the duo handling the wet track.
The stablemates have a friendly rivalry going on after they clashed over 1100m at New Plymouth earlier this month where Ole Ole had Rubira beaten home.
The two-year-old Lope De Vega filly got her payback as she broke her maiden status with style in the testing conditions.
“Stepping up to the mile was always going to be the go for her,” Jockey Danielle Johnson said. “What she is doing now she is doing on ability so once she has a break and strengthens up she could be very smart.”
Forsman has shares in both Rubira and Ole Ole and he was delighted with the performance of his team.“They both went brilliantly,” Forsman said. “Rubira is a filly we have always held in high regard.”
