Rafferty Ready for Railway

Perth owner-breeder Bob Peters would have been delighted with the runs of his More Than Ready relations Dreamaway and Rafferty on Saturday.

Peters was at Belmont to watch Dreamaway finish four lengths behind Toorak Toff in the G1 Rupert Clarke Stakes.  The More Than Ready mare wasn’t suited by the on-pace bias at Caulfield and stewards reported she was disappointed for clear running over the concluding stages.

Dreamaway was transferred to Dean Binaisse after winning the WA Oaks – WA Derby double in April but took longer than expected to settle in at Mornington.  Instead of a Cups campaign, she will revert to shorter races for mares like the G1 Myer Classic over 1600m at Flemington on October 29.

Dreamaway is out of a half-sister to Miss Margaret (Marscay) who won the 1996 South Australian Oaks for Peters and his wife Sandra.  She switched back to the Flemington mile later that year and claimed the G1 VRC Chrysler Stakes on the last day of Cup week.

Miss Margaret has foaled five winners including G2 WA Karrakatta Plate winner Confront (Bluebird) but Rafferty might turn out to the best of the lot.

He is also by Vinery champion More than Ready and scored a breathtaking victory in the Paddy Hannans Hcp at Belmont on Saturday.

Peters and trainer Ross Price will step him up to stakes level leading into the Festival of Perth.  Back in March, he ran third in the LR Breeders’ Classic at Bunbury and then didn’t get a crack in the LR Raconteur Stakes at Ascot.

“Rafferty couldn’t quite deliver in the autumn but it’s a different story now,” Price admitted.  “We train him out of  paddock and he’s much more relaxed.  Adding blinkers has also helped.”

Peters has been around too long to make any wild predictions but the G1 Railway Stakes (1600m) is an obvious target.  The Railway is worth $1 million this year as part of Ascot’s Super Saturday on November 19.

Peters won the 2001 Railway with Old Comrade and Rafferty’s run to the Railway has been timed to perfection.

“Rafferty is a nice horse with a brilliant turn of foot,” Price said on Saturday.  “And he’s heading in the right direction at just the right time.”