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Orange trainer Alison Smith is taking no chances in a bid for a Hawkesbury breakthrough on Wednesday with a mare who is an absolute ripper.

Smith has had seven starters at the track for only one minor placing, and is hoping her four-year-old mare Absolute Ripper can change that in the Goodfellow Sports Class 2 Handicap (1000m), with her rails draw an obvious bonus.

A winner of two of her six starts to date, she was narrowly beaten by Isla Tristana in a TAB Highway Class 2 Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on December 3.

However, a planned return visit to Sydney a fortnight later for another TAB Highway on Villiers Stakes day at Royal Randwick didn’t eventuate when Absolute Ripper was injured on the float.

“She was okay the first time going to Sydney because I think she thought she was going for a spell,” Smith explained.

“It was a different story the second time, and we had to abort the trip.”

Smith is bringing a travelling companion with the mare on a three-horse float and is confident there will be no problems.

“I’ve already given her a trial run with the mate in the float, and she was fine,” she said.

“She has worked well at Orange and I’m expecting her to run well.”

Smith’s husband Nathan named the mare after hearing on Sydney radio one day an exert from a call of a rugby league match by legendary broadcaster Ray Warren.

“Ray mentioned the words “absolute ripper” in his description, and Nathan thought it would be a good name for a horse,” she explained.

The Smiths bred Absolute Ripper by mating a mare they owned with the former Western Australian stallion Mosayter, who has produced 12-times WA winner (including a Group 1 Railway Stakes) Mr Moet.

She is the second and last foal of their former mare Matilby’s Magic, who died after colliding with a fence.

The mare’s first foal unfortunately developed leg problems and did not make it to the track.

“We have had to be patient with Absolute Ripper because she was so big and strong as a two-year-old that she kept going sore,” Smith explained.

“The ability has always been there, and hopefully her best is still ahead of her.”

It is worth noting that Absolute Ripper ran second on debut to Sydney mare Your Way on her home track last April. Your Way has been beaten only once in six starts and recently won at Canterbury.

Tony Cavallo, who rode the mare in her first-up five lengths’ romp in a Benchmark 55 Handicap (1000m) at Orange on November 18 and also in her narrow Rosehill defeat early last month, again is in the saddle.

“Tony has been very loyal to our stable, and we are sticking with him,” Smith said.

America surely has to be the omen tip at the Hawkesbury meeting but can the high-priced colt trump his rivals in the Eather Group Metropolitan & Provincial Maiden Plate (1500m).

A $1.8 million yearling purchase, the Snitzel three-year-old out of former top race mare Alinghi, has raced only once.

Trainer Gerald Ryan rested him after his fifth to Cry For Peace in a Hawkesbury Maiden Plate (1300m) on soft ground last July.

He has had two recent trials, and it is significant that his trainer is kicking him off at 1500m.

Josh Parr, who rode stablemate Chauffeur when narrowly beaten in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast on January 14, has the mount on America.

“I ride a lot for Gerald, but this will be the first time I have been on the horse’s back,” Parr said.

Coolmore shares in the international ownership of America, and also another blueblood Storm Force (Tommy Berry), who resumes in the Lucy Heyes Memorial Maiden Plate (1100m).

Storm Force has been placed at both starts to date, and hasn’t raced since finishing third to the talented Glenall over 1100m at Canterbury in late August.

Team Hawkes has advised stewards that the Fastnet Rock colt has since undergone a respiratory operation and has trialled successfully twice in preparation for his return.

Storm Force easily won a 900m Rosehill trial on January 17.