Sydney mare Red Tracer proved she was the country’s best wet tracker with a narrow victory in the Group Two Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm.
Ridden by Hugh Bowman, Red Tracer ($2.90 fav) excelled in the heavy conditions to down the fast-finishing Forfeiture ($9) by a short neck in Saturday’s 1400-metre feature.
Alltherightmoves ($16) was only a half-neck away third with Wealth Princess ($4.20) proving the disappointment, labouring home in sixth place.
Trainer Chris Waller sent Red Tracer to Queensland with the aim of winning a Group One race.
That race is set to be the Tatt’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 23.
However, Waller will keep his options open and will see how Red Tracer pulls up before making a decision on the Group One Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm next Saturday.
“I’m not going to rule out the Stradbroke especially if it’s wet,” Waller said.
“I’ll make my decision on Tuesday morning but I won’t pay-up for the Stradbroke and then scratch her.
“The plan all along has been to try and win a Group One race with her and the Tatt’s Tiara looks the best chance.
“I think we’ll give it a good crack.”
Red Tracer was having her first start since finishing fifth to More Joyous in the Group One Queen Of The Turf at Rosehill on April 7.
Waller praised Bowman for a masterful display on Red Tracer who maintained her unbeaten heavy track record from four starts.
“It was a good ride from Hughie from a tough barrier (12),” Waller said.
“He managed to get her into a good position early and then the speed backed off.
“She was exposed a fair way from home but she did a great job.
“She had a tough autumn campaign and only had a week in the paddock following her last Sydney run.”
Red Tracer was bred by her owners Geoff and Mary Grimish who shared in some great successes with the Waller-trained Shellscrape.
Red Tracer went into the Dane Ripper as a four-time stakeswinner and Group One placegetter in last year’s Epsom Handicap.
Bowman is hoping Waller sticks with his preference to target the Tatt’s Tiara and not the Stradbroke Handicap with Red Tracer.
“I hope she goes to the Tatt’s Tiara. She hasn’t got my weight in the Stradbroke,” he said.
“It was a good win. I wasn’t going to get into a fight in the early stages when the pace was on and I just let her settle into her rhythm and she did the rest.”
