Patience paid for connections of Ready To Rush when the five-year-old Goulburn mare was most impressive in taking out last Saturday’s edition of the TAB Highway series at Randwick, a 1000-metre Class 3 handicap. 
The injury-plagued mare didn’t start in a race until she was a four-year-old, recording two wins and a second in southern NSW last spring.
She was resuming last Saturday, and punters allowed her to go around at $11 despite that near-faultless record.
“She’s had three knee surgeries and there was a lot of talk about whether we’d ever get her back but she’s a real credit to the ownership group and Kurrinda (Bloodstock) for being patient and giving me all the time in the world,” said trainer Matthew Dale. 
“We train her solely off my farm just outside of Goulburn. We train her on the deep sand, in the pool and on the treadmill to be fit and sound. 
“We’re rapt with the result.”
Dale said he was uncertain whether the mare could be a contender for the Kosciuszko on Everest day (October 17), but he’s keeping his options open.
“I wouldn’t have thought she was a Kosciuszko horse, but winners are winners. She’d have to back this up, up in grade, and then we’ll make the call.”
Jockey Rachel King, who was having her first race ride on the mare, was favourably impressed.
“She’s just a nice, quiet and unassuming mare who did everything I asked of her,” she said. “She’s still learning, but she’s a little bit exciting.
“The patience from the trainer and owners is starting to pay off.”
Saturday’s win was Dale’s 31st in the TAB Highway series.
House rules … just
Last Saturday’s country feature was a real thriller, with House Of Cards ($6) prevailing by a short half-head from $21 chance He’s A Copy Boy in the Casino Cup (1400m). Third, fourth and fifth all finished within a length of the winner.
House Of Cards, trained at Coffs Harbour by Brett Dodson, was ridden by promising apprentice Grady Spokes.
That brought up a running double for the Spokes family, with Grady’s dad Raymond having led all the way in the previous, a 1200-metre benchmark 50, on Devious Mind for local trainer Leo Clapham.
The previous afternoon was cup day at Coffs Harbour, home to both Dodson and the Spokes family, but the visitors took the major spoils, with the Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Mighty Ulysses ($9) recording a comfortable 2½-length win under Heavelon Van Der Hoven in the $150,000 Coffs Harbour Cup (1600m).
Earlier, Scone trainer Scott Singleton took the $50,000 Super Maiden (1000m) with $2 favourite and new-season three-year-old Greyt Remlap, who broke through under Mikayla Weir at his third start. 
Dodson and Grady Spokes combined to win a $40,000 maiden over 1400 metres with Miss Midas Touch ($7.50), but it was Newcastle trainer Kris Lees and jockey Aaron Bullock who took the day’s honours with a treble apiece.
Lees and Bullock combined twice, winning the $50,000 Ken Howard Cup (2000m) with $2.90 favourite Enterprise Private and the $50,000 Daniel Baker Sprint with Oakfield Duke ($12).
Andrew Gibbons rode Lees’s other winner while Bullock won the last, the Magic Merv Mercer Mile (1600m), on $4.40 favourite Vixenette for Murwillumbah’s Matt Dunn.
Bullock completed a highly productive weekend with a double at Murwillumbah on Sunday.
Arguably the weekend’s most spectacular winner was at the ever-popular Louth Cup meeting in the state’s north west. The main race, over 2000 metres, was won in devastating fashion by nine-year-old gelding Macleay ($4.80), trained at Mendooran by Jane Clement and ridden by Billy Cray. The winner careered away to record a seven-length win over Star Intrigue, trained by Wendy Peel at Nyngan and ridden by his trainer.
Coming attractions
This Friday’s action is at Taree, where the main race is the 1400-metre Hopkins Livermore Cup, and Gunnedah, where the $50,000 Super Maiden (1250m) will be hotly contested. Saturday sees a six-race card at Narrandera and provincial action at Kembla Grange while on Sunday the Moruya Jockey Club offers an eight-race program and Wyong hosts preludes to next month’s Wyong Cup and Mona Lisa Stakes.