Rick Chasing Overdue Feature In McKenna

Jimmy Redenbach is confident Riccarton Rick can break through for a long overdue feature win in Thursday night's group 2 McKenna Memorial at Sandown Park – as long as he jumps.

Riccarton Rick was beaten just a length-and-a-half by Stout Monelli in his heat last week, and after coming up with box one for the $58,000 final, has been installed a $3.60 chance with TAB.

"He went OK last Thursday, with a bit of luck he'll go better this Thursday," said Redenbach.

"That was his first 595m for a while so he should be a bit stronger this week. I hope."

After 10 attempts including six placings, Riccarton Rick finally gets a win over the 595m – much to the delight of a few happy faces on course! pic.twitter.com/J5b4uLcYLz

— Sandown Greyhounds (@sandowndogs) May 5, 2022

Despite winning just two of his last 21 starts, Riccarton Rick is racing as well as he has across a career that has spanned two years, having raced consistently in top grade against some of the sport's biggest names.

The McKenna will be Riccarton Rick's fifth group final, his most recent being the group 3 Easter Gift in April in which he was beaten less than a length by Knicks Bale over 515m.

"He's a real race dog. I'm very proud of him," he added.

"It takes good ones to beat him. They all need a bit of luck, we need luck, I certainly need a bit of luck.

"But he is a good little dog. A good, honest dog."

While Redenbach agrees that drawing inside boxes are generally an advantage over the 595m, he did note his poor record from the box and was somewhat concerned at his tendency to step wide at box rise.

But should he step cleanly and avoid trouble, Redenbach believes he is a chance to claim his first group race in almost five years.

The 2022 McKenna Memorial Box Draw is done!

Who wins? ? pic.twitter.com/vIYk6ZSrIz

— Sandown Greyhounds (@sandowndogs) June 30, 2022

"If he can get out of the boxes I don't think they'll beat him. That's my opinion, but he's got to get out of the boxes. He's been getting out of the boxes quite good and with him being right on the fence, if he can get out as well as he has in his last two starts he'll lead, then it's going to be hard for anything to beat him.

"He's won one race out of the red and that was over 515m and he came off the track. But this is 595m and they're much slower animals early that what they are over 500m.

"He's had a nice hydro bath, he's been down the beach walking in the water, he feels a million dollars so by Thursday he should be pretty right."

"I'm hoping he's going to ping the lids, bloody oath I am."