Ripcord to let loose on Flemington in Saturday’s Gilgai Stakes, Alsephina in career-best health after big win

Rising galloper Ripcord will be out to further frank WA’s mark on Eastern soil when he contests Saturday’s Group 2 $300,000 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington. After Alsephina’s triumph in last Friday’s Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley, Melbourne racing enthusiasts were reminded to take notice of Western Australian invaders and Luke Fernie’s four-year-old can further emphasise that by vanquishing multiple Group 1 winners. Race favourite Magic Time ($5.50 on TABtouch) won the All Aged Stakes just three starts ago, while fellow mare Chain Of Lightning ($11) won the T J Smith only a fortnight prior. Punters, however, have not let Ripcord under their guards and the gelding has been supported from $12 down to $8.50. The son of Written By has not raced since The Quokka on April 20, though he did trial with flair at Belmont less than three weeks ago. In the heat, the million-dollar-earner raced away up the home straight to score a decisive two-and-a-half length win from Rope Them In, who made the form look good with victory last weekend. Ripcord will be handled by Bunbury boy Damian Lane, who now rides globally but is based in Melbourne, and will start from gate four. + Co-trainer Grant Williams has returned to Victoria to oversee the preparation of his bonny mare Alsephina as the attractive chestnut gears up for an assault on the Group 1 $1 million Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 2. With that race still a month away, Williams intends on staging one more lead-up run for ‘Blondie’ before her big assignment. The master trainer is adamant the mare has thrived off the trip away, saying she is in the best condition of her career. “She’s in great nick, really good nick, and I’ve probably never had her this sound - her feet are great,” Williams told TABradio. “There’s a race for us next week at Caulfield or there’s one for us the week after at Flemington. “It just depends on the weather - Caulfield can be a bit hard and I’ve got in mind still getting her home for the carnival - so I’m just tossing that up. “(The Empire Rose), that’s on Derby Day, that’s our Grand Final, but we’d love a run before then. “The beauty about being over here is you’ve got options.”