Soft ground could scupper Ruby's bid (From Dorset Echo)

Soft ground could scupper Ruby's bid

9:10am Wednesday 30th January 2013 in Sport

ROCK On Ruby, Grandouet and Darlan are among 11 entries for the Betfred Mobile Sports Contenders Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

However, the current champion Rock On Ruby is likely to skip the engagement due to the very soft ground.

Seaborough trainer Harry Fry said: “We hope to run him before Cheltenham and he holds an entry in the Contenders Hurdle this weekend, but I must stress at this stage he’d be very doubtful to take up that engagement with the ground as it is being heavy, soft in places with more rain to come.

“That would mean we’d go to Wincanton a fortnight on Satur-day for the Kingwell and again it would be ground dependant.

“We had to start somewhere, which we did at Cheltenham in the International and the more we look back on that, the more positives we take from it.

“We’re very reluctant to run on that sort of ground between now and the big day in March.

“It wouldn’t be ideal (if he did not run before the Festival) but I’d far rather go for a racecourse gallop than really test him in heavy ground, but where would we go?

“All the courses are in a similar position, we’d have to go for a spin on the all-weather somewhere.

“He’s in great order, I’m very happy with him and whatever we do will be a stepping stone to March.”