Rip, sh#! and bust
Rip Em Up is an aptly named three-year-old filly flying in the Marsh stable.
“Actually it’s more like rip, sh#! and bust at this stage. There is huge ability there but she just doesn’t know how to harness it yet,” says Stephen Marsh.
Go Racing Manager Albert Bosma agrees. “At the moment it’s like a teenager driving a Ferrari – and she’s both the impulsive/unpredictable juvenile and the hugely powerful machine.”
Her second start bore that analogy out. She got right to the back of the field then started to travel up three wide. She got even wider before balancing up in the straight to storm home for second placing making up a huge amount of ground. Even after crossing the line she went wayward again going right to the outside fence proving a real handful for jockey Danielle Johnson.
The punters have recognised her ability though with her odds for the 1000 Guineas shortening from $61 to fourth equal favourite at $12 with stablemate Loose Cannon, although still a maidener.
Says Bosma, “The question is can we get the Ferrari performing well enough by the time the 1000 Guineas comes around? We’ll be tinkering under bonnet and she’ll be in some sort of head gear next start to help her focus.”
This is likely to be in the $100,000 Group 2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes next Monday.
“It’s unusual for a maidener to run in Group 2 but there is no question she has the ability. It will also be her last lead in race to the 1000 Guineas – again a left of field approach with nearly four weeks between races, but then this filly doesn’t play by the rules.”