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By Ray Hickson

If there’s one thing Jay Ford is certain about when it comes to The Black Cloud it’s that she’s a stakes class mare in the making.

Jockey Jay Ford. (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Whether that shines through in her stiffest test so far in Saturday’s Group 3 $250,000 James Squire Toy Show Quality (1100m) at Randwick remains to be seen but Ford says the platform is there for her to make the leap.

The Black Cloud has yet to finish worse than second in six starts to date, winning four, and soon after her gutsy Flemington win in June trainer Joe Pride pinpointed this race for her graduation to stronger company.

“Obviously this is her hardest task to date but she’s ready for her chance at this level, she’s destined for this level of racing,’’ Ford said.

“But she’s only lightly raced, she’s still working her way through the grades and she’s taking on some horses that are pretty well credentialed.

“She’s going to give away experience but she gets in on the limit and has drawn the one gate.”

The four-year-old, $3.50 with TAB on Thursday, had three starts in the early part of the winter for a first-up Randwick win over 1000m and a game second behind Fleetwood over the same course before her Flemington win.

Ford said that latest victory stamped The Black Cloud as well above average given she was able to absorb pressure under 59kg and have the ability to surge again late.

“That’s in her make up. She’s got plenty of sass about her, she’s an upbeat and excitable horse,’’ he said.

“She had to carry 59kg on her back first time up the straight and she was very resilient and if anything she was strong late and pulling away from them.”

It’d be a milestone win if The Black Cloud is able to get the job done as the Ford and Pride combination is sitting on 99 wins.

In her recent trial Ford said it was noticeable how well she performed and he said the way the race looks to set up she’ll be in the firing line somewhere and that’s a good head start.

“She trialled pretty sharply for her, leading up into her last campaign they were just okay,’’ he said.

“The other day she was nice and sharp and she took a lot of improvement from it.

“She is naturally a runner, that’s her asset. She gets out of the gates and likes to build that momentum and put herself in a forward spot.

“When she won first-up she took a sit and when she ran second she took a sit. So she’s pretty adaptable. I feel she’s going to run us a good race.”

Beaten Country Championships Final favourite Bandi’s Boy makes his return in the Group 3 $250,000 Hyland Race Colours Show County Quality (1200m) and Ford believes he could be in for his best preparation.

The five-year-old won the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes a week before the Country Championships and Ford said it was likely a combination of the back up and the heavy track that saw him perform below his best.

“He won so brilliantly the week before in the Group 3 and I think it might have left him a bit jaded on the back up,’’ he said.

“I think there were a few factors and he wasn’t able to perform.

“I had a sit on him last week and he’s coming along well. He’ll run a good race, whatever he does he’ll improve off moving forward.”

It’s not going to be an easy first-up assignment from the near outside barrier but the positive for Ford is that in the autumn Bandi’s Boy showed the penny’s started to drop.

The Black Cloud runs second in a Warwick Farm trial on August 12

“I really think he learned his race craft last preparation,’’ he said.

“Through racing he was getting better every time he stepped out so I think this preparation we’re going to see a horse that can execute his races very well.

“He’s obviously talented, there’s no doubting that, and he’ll still make his presence felt in that race.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting