Rations looks for back-to-back wins

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Barry Baldwin is banking on a theory which could deliver consistent galloper Rations back-to-back wins at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.

Rations produced a string of four consecutive seconds before finally shedding her bridesmaid tag with a last start win over 1600 metres at the Sunshine Coast on March 6.

Rations was ridden on that occasion by Brad Stewart, who has kept the ride for the Benchmark 68 Handicap over 1800 metres.

Baldwin believes in a theory that horses who win after a string of placings are often worth following at their next starts.

“I do believe there is a lot of substance to that theory,” Baldwin said.

“Once horses break through like she did last start, they get better and take a lot of confidence from their win.

“She was getting ready for a 2040-metre race at Doomben before she won at the Sunshine Coast but we had to scratch her after she bruised her heal.

“She’ll run well but she has got an awkward barrier but Brad knows her well.”

Baldwin plans to spell Rations after her Eagle Farm assignment and she may return for the latter part of the TAB Queensland Winter Carnival.

“She’s a half-brother to a Melbourne winner over 2100 metres so we’re hoping she’ll run a trip,” he said.

“This is her chance to see how she goes over further and she’ll spell after this and she may come back towards the end of the winter.”

Baldwin believes the daughter of Outreach should have a far superior record than her two wins in 16 starts.

“She’s been very unlucky on several occasions and has only just been beaten a number of times,” Baldwin said.

Rations started her run of bad luck last November when she finished third at Ipswich.

“She should definitely have won first up at Ipswich that day,” Baldwin said.

“She came up on the inside and couldn’t get a run and only just got beaten.

“Since then, she’s run second four times in a row and had a lot of bad luck every time before she finally won at the Sunshine Coast.”

Rations was bought for $NZ22,000 in New Zealand for owner Andy “Lucky” Pippos but it wasn’t the original horse he intended to buy.

“Lucky and I went to New Zealand to buy a younger half-sister to The Candy Man but she’s was a bit small so we bought Rations instead,” Baldwin said.

Pippos has had a long association with Baldwin and The Candy Man was one of their best gallopers before his recent retirement.