Rock On Ruby© Photo Healy Racing
Harry Fry has given Rock On Ruby the green light to step up to three miles for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Winner of the 2012 Champion Hurdle, Rock On Ruby failed to hit the same kind of heights over fences last term with connections reverting to hurdles at the end of the campaign, with the 10-year-old duly chasing home The New One at Aintree.
Rock On Ruby has won twice over an extended two and a half miles at Cheltenham this term but with no race over that trip at the Festival, Fry has been mulling whether to test his stamina over even further as his record at the meeting is so good.
"Although he won two over fences he was found out in the Arkle," Fry told At The Races.
"When you reach the level he is over hurdles, it is very hard to change what they've done and reach the same heights. It was the easy option to then go to Aintree after the Arkle and when he pushed The New One to a head it was a no-brainer - we'd stick to what he was good at.
"He ran well back over the minimum in the Elite and then won the Relkeel over two and a half in December and went back on New Year's Day and won again.
"On the back of those two runs, he has such a good record at the Festival and with no two-and-a-half-mile race at the Festival, there is only really one race to go for and that is the World Hurdle over three miles.
"It is another big ask but one we're looking forward to. How can you sit at home with a horse with his record when everyone else is getting on with it.
"Aintree looks the logical race again, but there is a month between the two meetings this year so the plan, all being well, is the World Hurdle.
"The two races he has won this year were actually won by More Of That and Annie Power who fought out the World Hurdle last year.
"More Of That never ran again after the Relkeel and the year Ruby won the Champion Hurdle, his last run was the Christmas Hurdle so he likes to go there fresh."
