Richie's Vibe in bid for first Group win

Thursday 14 November 2013, 1:37pm

Tony Vasil didn't waste any time when he inherited Richie's Vibe from the Paul Beshara stable.

Under Vasil's guidance, the lightly raced gelding broke through for his first black-type success at Flemington during the spring carnival.

Vasil said the four-year-old came to him in good order and, with a bit of fine-tuning, was able to produce the goods when he won the Listed MSS Security Sprint on Melbourne Cup day.

Beshara's horses were farmed out after the South Australian trainer was given a six-month suspension for treating Group One winner Happy Trails on the day of the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley on September 14.

Richie's Vibe's next outing under Vasil comes on Saturday in the Group Three Sandown Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield where he is second favourite at $4.40 behind the Peter Snowden-trained Galah ($3.40).

Vasil considered putting Richie's Vibe in the race named in honour of his late friend and Melbourne Racing Club committeeman Kevin Heffernan, but felt the reality of a weight-for-age assignment may have proved too much to ask of the gelding.

"I have fond memories of Kevin. Unfortunately, it is a weight-for-age race and given this horse has only had eight race starts he would probably be greatly disadvantaged," Vasil said.

"If he had won he would be shooting himself in the foot because he would be penalised by getting a higher rating so it is far better going in the Sandown Stakes where he has the minimum weight of 56 kilos."

Also in his favour is barrier five, consistent rain and the booking of Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Damien Oliver.

"I'm really happy about this rain," Vasil said.

"He is far more effective on soft ground than he is on firm ground and Damien is riding better than anyone in Australia."

Vasil says if Richie's Vibe can win again on Saturday he will consider freshening him up rather than going back to run-of-the-mill handicap sprints in which the horse is likely to be burdened by big weights.

Among Vasil's options are the Listed Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Boxing Day or the Group Three Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on New Year's Day.

After that he might head to Sydney in search of softer tracks in the autumn.

"Everyone knows the autumn in Sydney can throw up a wet track and if that's the case, to be running on softish tracks would probably lure me north," he said.

– AAP

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