Latest News

By Tony Megahey

It’s high times for big South African Lyle Chandler with his Springboks winning the World Rugby Cup and his imposing mare Rapbidash attempting four successive wins into Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Beware the unbeaten and especially the weight of smart money that has seen the four-year-old Supido mare start at $1.35 and $1.63 at Taree and Newcastle in smart time.

She’s at $2.90 on TAB (in from $3.20) at headquarters on Saturday - all suggesting much more to come.

Rapbidash (Mitchell Bell) lands the money at Newcastle. Image by Bradley Photographers

The mare is second favourite behind prolific Highway winners Matthew Dunn and Nash Rawiller with Doomben winner Golden Decade ($2.60 fav) in barrier one.

So how good is Rapbidash going into the Coolmore $120,000, Class 3 Highway, 1400m with 56.5kg for Jason Collett?

While the Scone trainer was typically reserved he said: “She’s only lightly raced, so early days, but I’ve never trained one with her turn of foot.

“It’s been patience, she was immature, we brought her into work twice and turned her out again.

“But this time in she’s developed into a lovely big strong mare, a dream to train and she has been dominant.”

Between the wins there’s been two priming barrier trials at home.

“Big mare and such a good doer, we’ve got to keep an eye on her weight, she’s not a swimmer just works on the track.

“She missed some work going into Newcastle and was probably a trifle heavy, but she got the job done.”

More merit to the win. Rapbidash certainly did dominating a BM 64 with 58kg with Mitchell Bell.

However, for Chandler a tinge of regret: “Mitch has ridden her all along, in races and trials and we wanted him on Saturday but he had a family commitment.

“We all know this business is 24/7 so you make time for loyalty foremost.” Of course, they won’t lose anything with the form Collett is in.

Chandler is confident out to 1400m on the big track and a below capacity field will suit the big strider.

“When Mitch won on her at 1200m Newcastle, he said she’ll be even better out to 1400m, at least.”

Meanwhile, the widely travelled Chandler who grew up on a farm near the famed Kimberley Diamond mines, spent time as a foreman in England and Europe before linking as foreman with the O’Shea and Van Dyke stables in Sydney.

It was harder for him getting work in England because most demand is for staff to also ride trackwork. So hardly suitable for the 6 foot, 100kg+ Chadler built like a Springbok forward.

View final fields with full form & race replays for Royal Randwick here