Ruby – a ‘sparkling’ Super Stayer

[Wandering Eyes]

If you don’t succeed at first – try, try again! It’s an adage that has stood the test of time.

And Victorian staying queen Mepunga Ruby did just that in tonight’s Group 1 TAB Fanta Bale Super Stayers final (725m) at The Meadows.

Trained at Anakie by Jeff Britton, Mepunga Ruby snared her first G1 win – at her fifth attempt.

Her previous attempts at G1 glory produced the following results – Sale Cup (2^nd), Bold Trease (3^rd) and Topgun Stayers (6^th), all last year, and the

Zoom Top (5^th) this year.

But it was Britton’s second Super Stayers win, having won with Star Recall in 2016. He also prepared 2020 runner-up, True Detective.

Mepunga Ruby ($1.80F) turned the race into a procession defeating Orca ($15.90) by a massive 8.8L, with SA star Sir Truculent ($31.20) – runner-up in last year’s final – a further 1.1L away third in 42.13sec – a new race record.

Mepunga Ruby – which won the G2 Summer Distance Plate at Wentworth Park in January and G3 Speed Star at The Meadows in August last year – notched her 19^th win from 32 starts, including six of her past eight. She’s now five from eight over the 725m journey and undefeated in three starts from Box 4.

And the $100,000 first prize spiralled her earnings to $322,110.

Mepunga Ruby (March ’19 Fernando Bale x Mepunga Rosie) – owned by Mepunga East breeding doyen Barry Smith – is the 10^th female to win the ‘Super Stayers’ in the event’s 25-year history.

And her super sire, Fernando Bale, has produced three of the past four winners.

WATCH: Staying queen Mepunga Ruby (4) ‘dazzles’ in the Fanta Bale Super Stayers.

Other feature race winners were:

• G1 TAB Australian Cup – Lala Kiwi (T: Andrea Dailly );
• G3 Country Championship – Love The City (T: Daniel Pell);
• G3 GRV Vic Bred Maiden – Plaintiff (T: Jason Thompson</em
• TAB Australian Cup Consolation – Aston Rupee); (T: Glenn Rounds).

Mepunga Ruby

Mepunga Ruby with trainer Jeff Britton and handler Craig Solkholn

Angela Langton, partner of Jeff Britton.

Mepunga Ruby with handler Craig Solkholn

Photos by Clint Anderson

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