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City winner Rubinocchi returns from an extended break at Randwick.
A paddock accident has kept Rubinocchi away from the races for almost a year, but trainer Joe Pride is hoping the progressive mare can make up for lost time.
The four-year-old races under the Proven Thoroughbreds banner, the syndicators having enjoyed a breakout season courtesy of their Pride-trained Stradbroke Handicap winner Think About It and Everest runner-up Private Eye.
While Rubinocchi is unlikely to reach those heights, she has shown her share of ability with four wins and as many placings in 14 starts, making the successful transition to Saturday metropolitan grade last spring when scoring at Rosehill.
While she has a strong fresh record, Pride is cautious about her return in the Furphy Handicap (1000m) on Saturday off an extended break.
"Rubinocchi had an injury when she was in the paddock and it has kept her out of play for a while," Pride said.
"I love her, she's a little ripper and hopefully we can get her back going again.
"She will more than likely need the run on Saturday. When they've had that long off, it's very hard for an on-speed horse like she is to be winning first-up."
Rubinocchi will be ridden by Sam Clipperton, who returns to Sydney racing on Saturday after a month-long holiday.
Tyler Schiller has the mount on stablemate Mach Schnell in the Robrick Lodge Eremein Handicap (1800m), the gelding looking to continue a rich recent vein of form that has yielded a Rosehill victory two starts ago and narrow second to Super Strike last time out.
Pride can't pinpoint why the gelding is racing so well, but he is looking to Mach Schnell to continue his form.
"I don't know. He's just a quirky old Kiwi horse who is racing well at the moment," Pride said.
"He's a horse who has done it in patches in the past, but his last two runs have been consistent and at quite a high level."
Mach Schnell and Rubinocchi will be among a bumper team of 10 runners for Pride at Randwick.