Ripcord is set to be one of the star attractions at the final Saturday meeting at Belmont Park for the season, which also features the Black Heart Bart Stakes (1200m).
The son of Written By made a promising start to his racing career, taking out the Listed Perth Stakes (1100m), before he finished third to Super Smink in the Group 2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m).
Luke Fernie said the early signs were promising for Ripcord ahead of his three-year-old campaign.
“I’ve seen enough at home to suggest he doesn’t need to go to the trials,” Fernie told TABradio.
“His fitness levels are pretty good.
“Everything is on track for him to go to the races.”
There’s a plethora of targets for Ripcord this campaign, with the Max Simmonds Classic (1000m) at Ascot on October 14 a possible target.
Fernie said he would weigh up whether to run the gelding fortnightly or look to freshen him up after the first-up run and target the $500,000 Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) on November 18.
“I haven’t really made a plan yet,” he said.
“Whether we go to the Placid Ark a little bit fresher, it’s all up in the air.
“I’m still taking in each day what suits him best.
“I gave him a good hit out last Saturday at Belmont and he worked super then.”
Fernie will be hoping to build momentum towards The TABtouch Pinnacles by taking out this Sunday’s Listed Boulder Cup (2100m) with Be Optimistic.
The mare hit the line strongly to finish third behind Crescent City in the Coolgardie Cup (1760m) earlier this month.
Fernie said Be Optimistic was ready to be tested over the staying distance again.
“Her run was super last weekend,” he said.
“She dropped the bit out and relaxed, which is probably the most encouraging thing for me.
“She’s been getting on the steel probably a little too much.
“It probably put a bit of doubt in my mind that running the trip out would be harder than I first thought.
“She will take natural progression going up in trip.”
Fernie also gave an encouraging update on sprinter Wild Belle, indicating the mare could start in the Listed Summer Scorcher (1000m) on New Year’s Day.
