Step up in trip possible for Ruby Rock On Ruby could be set for a step up in trip following his disappointing defeat at the hands of The New One. Harry Fry's stable star, who has finished first and second in the last two Stan James Champion Hurdles, was 10 lengths behind Nigel Twiston-Davies' The New One in the William Hill - Download The App Hurdle at Kempton last Sunday. The New One is now Sky Bet's 4/1 favourite for the Stan James Champion Hurdle and Rock On Ruby, a 20/1 chance, may not even be aimed at the race. Fry wrote in his Stan James blog: "To be quite honest, we were beaten fair and square by a very talented young horse who potentially could be a real champion. "It was obviously very disappointing we weren't able to give The New One a bit more of a race so we're back to the drawing board and just assessing our options at the moment. "Plans are on hold while we assess him and we'll probably have some news in the middle of next week. Noel wasn't overly happy when he came back and he said he didn't give him a great feel out on the course. "Afterwards I said we probably wanted to step up in trip for the Ascot Hurdle but those plans are on hold until we've carried out all the assessments. "But going up in trip is probably the way we'd have to head because, with the likes of The New One and other exciting youngsters coming through, it'll be very hard in that two-mile division for us now as an eight-year-old."
