Missing a start in the Australasian Oaks was frustrating at the time, but Marc Conners believes it has helped to lay the foundations for Rebel Rama to blossom this spring.
Conners took the now four-year-old to Melbourne in May to prepare for the Adelaide feature, but Rebel Rama failed to make the Australasian Oaks field and returned home without racing.
She duly scored a win at Rosehill, earning another interstate excursion to Brisbane where she finished midfield in the Queensland Oaks won by Duais.
Travelling a thoroughbred is often credited as being the making of a horse and Conners believes that has been the case for Rebel Rama.
“She had a couple of trips away last year. She went to Melbourne when she was supposed to go to Adelaide for the staying race and didn’t get a run, so we brought her home and she won at Rosehill,” Conners said.
“Then she went to Queensland and ran in the Oaks up there, so her last preparation was a really good grounding for her.
“She has come back and she’s such a strong horse now.”
Rebel Rama resumed with a narrow but determined win at Warwick Farm over 1400m to earn a slot in Saturday’s inaugural running of the $700,000 The Four Pillars (1500m), a race restricted to horses from the smaller provincial and Sydney stables and chosen by slot holders.
While Rebel Rama is a winner up to 2000m, Conners has kept her fresh for the middle-distance journey and is relying on the capacity field of 18 to ensure a genuine tempo.
“The big field will help her because there will be plenty of pressure on and they won’t be loafing in front,” Conners said.
“There should be plenty of speed on and she’ll be back midfield or a bit worse.
“If she’s going to get them, she will get them in the last furlong. Hopefully it is survival of the fittest and hopefully we’re that horse.”
