Like a fine wine, trainer Michael Trotter says Rumbled Again is getting better with age.
Rumbled Again turns eight on Friday and Trotter says the mare could not be in any better physical order as she makes her return from a break.
The Victorian Jockeys’ Association Trophy (1410m) at Flemington on Saturday is the kick-off point for the mare as Trotter aims to pick up some more Black Type.
Rumbled Again landed her biggest win when successful in the Group 3 Summoned Stakes at Caulfield last November and Trotter says he is looking forward to seeing the mare return.
“She’s come back bigger and stronger, which is amazing for an eight-year-old mare,” Trotter said.
“She’s in the best condition and the best headspace I have had her in and she’s loving her work, which is awesome.”
Rumbled Again had an autumn campaign that did not work out as Trotter had hoped.
First-up at Caulfield, Rumbled Again slipped at the start and injured a hamstring and then went to Sydney for a start, only to be pulled out because the ruling vet said she was three out of five lame.
“She has a shuffly action at the best of time, but that was one argument I wasn’t going to win, so I said for them to take her out,” Trotter said.
“If I thought there was anything wrong with her, I wouldn’t have taken her up there in the first place.
“It’s not a cheap process to go up there for a few days.”
Rumbled Again then staged a big performance to run fifth in the Group 2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on a track that favoured those on speed.
Trotter was then looking forward to the Golden Mile at Bendigo in April, and the trainer said he is lucky to still have the horse.
“She got galloped on and had a significant gash on the off-hind fetlock joint,” Trotter said.
“She was quite lucky with that in the end.
“It was disappointing. She was in a perfect spot in that race and was about to run into it, but she copped that and that was the end of it.
“She didn’t let down and when you saw how significant the cut was, you understand why.
“That was the end of a disastrous preparation with all the things that happened to her.”
Rumbled Again has had two jump-outs at Flemington to prepare for her return, the most recent at Cranbourne on Monday, and will be ridden by Harry Coffey on Saturday.
Trotter said the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington in September was a potential target for Rumbled Again.
