Racing: Sargent pleased with Red Ruler

Despite carrying topweight, Red Ruler will be hard to beat in the City of Auckland Cup at Ellerslie tomorrow. Photo / Greg Bowker

The one quote you probably need to know comes from John Sargent.

"He's as hard as nails," said the Matamata trainer after appraising Red Ruler at home yesterday morning.

Which is what you want to hear if you are even considering taking the TAB's short $2.80 quote about Red Ruler's chances in tomorrow's $100,000 Waiwera Water City Of Auckland Cup.

It sounds short, but it's realistic when you consider Red Ruler's record at 2400m at home.

Apart from his beaten performance on an unsuitable wet track in C'est La Guerre's 2008 Derby at Ellerslie, Red Ruler is unbeaten in New Zealand 2400m races, having won this race and the Wellington Cup last summer.

As well, he finished a close second to Nom du Jeu over the 2400m of the AJC Derby in Sydney.

If there was even a slight element of doubt about Red Ruler's chances in the Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day it was the 2000m distance for a natural 2400m horse.

That became a real concern when Michael Walker set up a pedestrian pace aboard Ginga Dude and made the race a sprint from the 500m, which was right against Red Ruler's stamina tendencies.

The time was 2:04.02 compared with the 2:00.6 Vosne Romanee took to beat Red Ruler last year - more than three and a half seconds slower.

Red Ruler needs more of a staying contest and he'll get that tomorrow.

And he'll need to be tough under 58kg topweight. Counties Cup winner Tinseltown on 57kg is the only one even close to him in the handicap.

But he is a strong, robust horse able to shoulder that sort of weight.

"He can sit off them a bit and attack late this time," said John Sargent.

Tinseltown, Six O'Clock News and Innocent Lady are all strong chances.

Six O'Clock News finished strongly in both the Counties Cup and Waikato Times Gold Cup, finishing second and fourth. His work this week has been excellent and he rates a nice chance on 54kg.

His biggest issue may become his wide barrier draw, although he tends to get back in the field early anyway.

Innocent Lady has made a big impression coming through the grades and winning her past three straight. It will be a good training performance by Graeme and Mark Sanders if the mare wins because she has yet to tackle anything stronger than R80 grade.

She comes in on the minimum of 51kg, but, as silly as it sounds, she is not that well off in the weights compared with a couple of runners.

One is Showcause. He might have won only three races, but one of them is the New Zealand Cup and he has banked $180,000.

When you compare that with Innocent Lady's $55,000 stakes, Showcause is well in on only 51.5kg.

Trainer Frank Ritchie is not overly confident with Showcause.

"These days he's more a natural 3200m horse. Ellerslie can be a sharp course and tracks like Riccarton and Trentham suit him better. He's a chance, though."