Limited options force trainer Cindy Alderson to run Ruakaka Raider at Sandown on Saturday
Promising four-year-old Ruakaka Raider was a late starter but his star could start to rise after Saturday's Sandown meeting.
The gelding was bred in New Zealand but Cranbourne trainer Cindy Alderson had the gelding brought across the Tasman Sea after an employee discovered the son of Redwood in a quiet town on the country's north island.
Alderson said Ruakaka Raider had plenty to learn when he arrived and still has significant development remaining despite having enough talent to post three wins and two placings from his opening nine starts.
'He came over here really, really raw and didn't know what he was doing and he can still sometimes get himself a little unbalanced and ungainly,' Alderson said.
'It was just that, because his trainer, lived up at Whangarei, where there's not a lot of people, he was just uneducated.'
Ruakaka Raider has performed well in every scenario thrown his way in his short career.
Alderson said there was a little downside to Ruakaka Raider's performances, which have caught the eye of Racing Victoria handicappers.
She said Ruakaka Raider's rating rose quickly enough to make Saturday's Stow Storage Solutions Handicap (1600m) at Benchmark 84 level one of limited options.
Ruakaka Raider ran on well from the back when sixth to Angry Skies when resuming in the same class earlier this month.
'It was a really strong effort first-up but the problem with him, is that he just gets himself too highly-graded in some of his races,' Alderson said.
'We didn't get him until he was three and he had only had a few races and, after those races, he got himself upgraded quite quickly.
'I don't know if he's quite ready for this grade but he's going well so I can't complain.'
Apprentice Logan Bates rode Ruakaka Raider at Caulfield but Alderson has decided not to claim on Saturday, booking top jockey Jamie Melham to ride the talented prospect.
Bookies rated Ruakaka Raider as an $8.50 chance in early betting on the Sandown meeting.
Should Ruakaka Raider perform as expected at his second 1600m run this time in, Alderson would need to decide whether to test him over longer trips.
• Kent goes hard on 'joke' Sandown track
Ruakaka Raider was unplaced but not disgraced in two 2000m runs last December.
Alderson said factors indicated Ruakaka Raider could race well over 2400m but some suggested the 1600m to 1800m range in which he has posted his three wins, was best for him.
'All his data and figures show he could run it (2400m) and his mother wasn't very effective until she got to 2000(m),' Alderson said.
'And he's a Redwood and those horses are renowned for running over a bit of ground, so from that perspective, I can't see why he won't.
'But there's also the school of thought that says he's very effect over a mile to 1800m so maybe that's his wheelhouse.
'He's still a work in progress and he's still got more improvement to come.'
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