Barry Ratcliff made sure he fully enjoyed Beside You’s first city win and he is hitting the road again to try to repeat the feat.
The Kempsey trainer said the best of his eight horses made a better recovery than he did after a night of post-race revelry in Sydney after Beside You won the Highway race at Rosehill on August 13.
“I tell you what, I didn’t come good till Tuesday,” the Kempsey-based Ratcliff said.
The talented Beside You won her third race from as many starts last time and Ratcliff celebrated with Kempsey locals who made the trip to see her kick home at $9.
“The young blokes I was with can go all night. They led me astray,” Ratcliff said.
The filly is shooting for back-to-back Highway wins in the 1100m handicap at Rosehill on Saturday.
Ratcliff isn’t worried by a wet track.
“I don’t think that will affect her too much, I just hope the other ones don’t like it,” Ratcliff said.
“She had a good blow-out on Tuesday here so she’s polished and ready to head to Sydney on Friday morning.”
Win or lose, Beside You will be off to the spelling paddock after Saturday with Ratcliff planning the three-year-old’s return to take on the Country Championship series next year.
He is buoyed by the prospect of her being low in the weights for those races as she will be on Saturday when she will carry 53kg.
Ratcliff will have two runners at Rosehill, with Malleable also joining the travelling party on a one-week back-up from an unplaced finish in the Taree Cup.
“He’s a bit of company for her,” Ratcliff said.
“There’s only eight in it so he’ll be competitive and if he get’s beat he won’t get beat that far.”
“Put it this way, you pick up 1000 bucks anyway for running eighth, so he could pay for the hotel and the grog.”
Ratcliff revealed his dedicated staff eventually called time on the celebrations after Beside You’s win.
“I’d like to thank all of my staff for helping me out with the horse, putting up with me and putting me to bed,” Ratcliff said.
