Ready To Lift has claimed a piece of racing history as the first mare to complete the Christmas Cup-Summer Cup double and put herself in line for a tilt at the rich autumn carnival.Trainer Gerald Ryan was full of praise for Ready To Lift after her tough victory in the Group Three Summer Cup (2400m) at Randwick on Friday."She is amazing how she holds her form and just keeps getting better the further she goes," Ryan said."It's great that she is the first mare to do the double and this is better t
Ready To Lift has claimed a piece of racing history as the first mare to complete the Christmas Cup-Summer Cup double and put herself in line for a tilt at the rich autumn carnival.
Trainer Gerald Ryan was full of praise for Ready To Lift after her tough victory in the Group Three Summer Cup (2400m) at Randwick on Friday.
"She is amazing how she holds her form and just keeps getting better the further she goes," Ryan said.
"It's great that she is the first mare to do the double and this is better than Perth."
Ryan had plans to take the five-year-old to the west for the Perth Cup on New Year's Day but travel arrangements could not be made and she stayed in Sydney.
Although she had the 2400 metre form on the board in the Christmas Cup at Rosehill on December 13, Ready To Lift ($4) eased from being favourite early in the week to second elect with punters flocking to Rainbow Styling who started at $2.70.
Glyn Schofield had Ready To Lift just behind the pace which was slow early.
In the straight the swoopers came with Bellagio Wynn ($12), fourth in the Christmas Cup, forging to the lead and looking as of he had stolen a march.
But Ready To Lift knuckled down to her task and overhauled Bellagio Wynn to claim victory by half a length.
Zazabeau ($9.50) was 2-3/4 lengths third with Rainbow Styling another half length fourth.
"She will have a three-week break and now I think we will look seriously at the Sydney Cup and some of the other races over the autumn," Ryan said.
"The Melbourne Cup is a dream but who knows?"
Ready To Lift is by More Than Ready who is known for producing early types but Ryan said the mare's dam, On The Rise, held the key to her staying ability.
"There is a lot of stoutness in her pedigree," he said.
"Since we stepped her up to 2400 metres she just seems to have got better and we have been patient with her.
"We know she can handle wet ground which could happen in the autumn and now we know she can win at Randwick."
The only other horses to claim the Christmas Cup-Summer Cup double are Century Boy (1996), Sandy's Hope (1968), Compass (1958) and Snowstream (1949).