Latest News

By Tony Megahey

Kempsey’s larrikin veteran Barry Ratcliff narrowly missed a career ambition with lifelong mates, but he’s far from deflated, eyeing other occasions with his powerhouse mare Markievicz ($11 into $10 on TAB) into a TAB $100,000 Class 3, 1400m, Highway at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

“I’m partners in her with blokes I’ve raced horses with for over 30 years, we’d planned for the Country Championships leg at Taree (Sunday) but missed qualifying by a few weeks, so back here with bells on; we lined-up McEvoy early after stewards told us,” Barry enthused.

Thumbs up from Barry Ratcliff following Markievicz's Rosehill win. Image by Bradley Photographers

“She’s worked better than before her last win, the way she’s progressing, she can be a fair dinkum chance for The Kosciuszko (October),” Barry suggested of the four-year-old Starspangledbanner protégé who is among the most exciting distance prospects in regional racing.

She is attractively weighted on 56kg for Kerrin McEvoy who came from near last with 55.5kg to win on her at “The Gardens” three weeks ago over 1500m.

An Anthony Cummings cast-off after a succession of maiden failures, Markievicz is a bargain buy, reviving with a winning treble since joining Ratcliff’s stables in July.

“We bought her for nine grand as a maiden - cheap as chips now.”

She has won over $100,000 and more to come.

“Anthony said she’d be an ideal Country Cups type as she’ll get out to 2000m for sure. Been a bit clutchy in the joints so we take her real steady but she’s only four and lightly raced.

“The form she’s in we don’t know her limits. It’s going to be some ride for us finding out.

“When the little girl who rides and babysits her, Vanessa Kelly, came back after fast work, I’ve never seen her so excited. She said, 'wow, just flying best she’s ever worked'.”

A noted moderate beginner and backmarker, Barry says barriers are or little consequence (7) or back in distance.

“Barrier one or the car park, she’s always near last, refuses to begin and be dug up. You’ve got to stand over her.

"But she can sustain a run for 800 metres, just keeps winding up. Normally they sustain it for 200 or 300 metres.

“When she won, Kerrin waved the whip at her, just like our little girl in trackwork. When this mare knows she’s in for it, she responds.

“She’s near last every win, you near give up, but she just keeps cranking up that big engine. Kerrin knows he has to get to work on her mid-race.”

Originally from Nowra, Barry’s family and his training father Don were close to the famed Robinson family. Aside, Barry reckons he’s never remotely seen country racing so healthy.

“Those prizemoney increases, the Highways, features worth big money, the Cups, size of the fields and the crowds - never seen anything like it in my time.

“Put that down to Peter V’landys, some administrator him, his interviews are a good listen.

“I remember when I started unless you won a race, you’d be grateful to come home from country tracks with petrol money and enough for a feed and a few beers.

“Now it’s on for young and old, races that have been life-changing for regional stables - that Kosciuszko ($1.3 million).”

Meanwhile, in early TAB Highway markets Markievicz, with several form runners drawn wide has firmed to $10, while Terry Robinson’s Danzadel ($7 favourite) is backing up from a Nowra win on Sunday.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Rosehill Gardens here