Ready Raider scored a breathtaking win at Ascot on Wednesday after coming from last in capacity field over 1100 metres.

Trained by the father and son combination of Lou and Dion Luciani, he had them covered in a matter of strides first-up after a long spell in the Festival Of Perth Racing Hcp (1100m)

Ready Raider (5g More Than Ready – Ebony Magic by Bletchley Park) had been off the scene since winning his maiden at Northam in August 2011.  “He’s had some issues but had been working well and was fit and ready to go,” Dion Luciani said.  “The way he hit the line was very impressive.

“I was a bit concerned when he was so far back but Jason (Whiting) knows the horse better than anyone.  He went past them like he had just joined in at the furlong.”

The lightly-raced More Than Ready gelding will go straight into a Saturday race before connections making any further plans.  He is a homebred for the Martin family and is one of three winners from Ebony Magic who reached Listed level with a victory in the 1999 WATC Gimcrack Stakes.

Ebony Magic is a sister to 1996 Gimcrack winner Most Secret and she went on to foal Covertly (G1 Railway Stakes) and So Secret (G3 Colonel Reeves Stakes).

More Than Ready has a high-profile in Perth through leading owner-breeder Bob Peters.  He supports the stallion at every opportunity and won last year’s G1 WATC Derby with his filly Dreamaway.

Ready Raider has the potential to be the Vinery champion’s next stakes winner in the Sunspeed State.

– Karl Patterson