Rapidement is a French adverb that means speedily or quickly. And that is how Rapidement raced yesterday at Warracknabeal.
She had been beaten by the narrowest of margins in her previous two starts. At Geelong she was edged out by 0.1 length by Holy Brom over 1100 metres. At Tatura, Sandler prevailed over Rapidement by the same margin, over the same distance.
Yesterday at Warraknabeal in a 0-68 rating race over 1000 metres, Ricky Maund’s instructions to apprentice jockey Brittany Hussey were clear – lead, rate and win. And that is exactly how Brittany rode the grey mare. Urging her forward during the early stages, Rapidement crossed to lead and was soon two lengths in front of the rest. She was speedy, she was quick, she was rapidement.
Brittany rated the mare well, and although tiring in the later stages, was never in doubt. Rapidement won by 0.8 length from a fast finishing wall of horses.
It was Rapidement’s fifth career win. She is by Iglesia from Paris House mare Tres Rapide. Tres Rapide is also the dam of Sir Monashee, who has won seven races and nearly $500,000 and Monashee Dancer, who has won ten races and more than $250,000.
The win made it four in a row for trainer Ricky Maund and was his tenth for the new season from just 31 runners.
