Rebel Miss ready to break out for victory

“SHE is ready to win and she looks great.”

That was the comment from Matthew Smith yesterday as luckless mare Rebel Miss prepares to breakthrough for a deserved victory in the Schweppes Handicap (1000m) at Warwick Farm today.

The four-year-old has had little go right at her past two runs. She had to go back from a wide draw at Canterbury on July 26 before flashing home to grab second and then was caught three-wide without cover last month at the same track, running fourth.

“She has been racing well and her last few runs have been good,” Warwick Farm trainer Smith said.

“I can’t see any reason why she can’t (win today) and her work has been good and she looks great.

“Both her last two runs have been super and first run back she was ridden quiet and then the other day she got caught in an awkward spot but that’s what happens when you draw wide. She stuck to her task good (last start) and she is a not a bad little mare on her day.”

Rebel Miss has always shown good ability but has been a bit hit and miss throughout her 11-start career.

“You go back through her form and she would always run really well first-up or second up and I wasn’t sure if it was just the way we were riding her and letting her be handy and if it took a bit out of her,” he said.

“(Or it could be) a maturity thing and whether she couldn’t handle her racing and she has had a few little issues but nothing major.”

The Warwick Farm meeting is shaping as a D-Day of sorts for two horses in particular – Cuba in Race 1 and I Am Serious in Race 3.

John Thompson has always had a big opinion of Cuba and he had the flashing light on first-up before never running on in the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) at Randwick last start.

Back to maiden grade with the blinkers on from a good draw today, he gets his chance to atone. Boom mare I Am Serious won three straight in the country before running second at Warwick Farm first-up for Chris Waller.

Several experts rate the mare highly and today will tell us more on where she sits.