Albury mare Boss Lady Rocks might have been a late starter to the racing game, but she is proving to be worth the wait.
The sprinter didn’t debut until she was almost five and it was a humble beginning as she finished midfield and soundly beaten in a country maiden at Corowa.
But in 14 subsequent runs, Boss Lady Rocks hasn’t finished outside the top-five, highlighted by a quintet of wins, two of them in metropolitan grade at Moonee Valley.
After nominating her for a couple of races in Victoria this week, trainer Ron Stubbs has made the decision to instead head north and will kick off Boss Lady Rocks’ campaign in the Furphy Handicap (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
She will carry 56kg after the claim of apprentice Benjamin Osmond and boasts some handy formlines, including a fifth behind dual Listed winner Red Card in Melbourne last spring and a close second to Group 3 placegetter Larimer Street.
She usually performs well fresh and Stubbs says Boss Lady Rocks appears to have returned better than ever.
“Outside of her first start in a race, she has never finished further back than fifth, so we always get a good run for our money,” Stubbs said.
“She won first-up at Moonee Valley (last preparation) and that was impressive, she just seems to race well fresh so hopefully she can take that to the races on Saturday.
“With her general health and wellbeing and the way she looks, I’m probably happier than I have ever been with her.
“I gave her a trial a couple of weeks ago and walked away from that very happy with her, so everything seems to be going in the right direction.”
Boss Lady Rocks is proven on all surfaces, but Stubbs feels she is especially effective in the wet.
It is that mindset that has prompted him to bring her back during the winter, hoping she can strike her favoured conditions.
“I wouldn’t call her a mudlark, but she can certainly handle rain-affected tracks and you’d like to think it’s a little bit easier during the winter in town,” Stubbs said.
“Hopefully we can find the right race and capitalise on it.”
Stubbs isn’t a regular visitor to Sydney but his last trip in April was a fruitful one with Bianco Vilano capturing a Highway Handicap at Rosehill.
Fourth in the Country Championships Final at his previous start, Bianco Vilano is due back in the stable this week and Stubbs is hopeful he can earn a Kosciuszko slot.
