05.01.2009, RANGIRANGDOO DELIVERS GANDERTON A DOUBLE

Clinton Payne
Saturday, 3 January 2009

Apprentice Daniel Ganderton completed a riding double when Rangirangoo stamped himself a genuine Epsom contender with the Chris Waller-trained galloper running away with the Mr Tiz Welter Handicap (1600m) at Randwick today.

Unconvinced by the four-year-old’s hat-trick of city class wins, Waller reluctantly set the gelding today’s assignment with a view to gauging his ability for next year’s spring.

“Today he proved he’s something special,” Waller said.

Rangirangdoo makes it four wins on end at Randwick today – photo by Steve Hart

“It’s hard to get a line on a horse like him because he only does what he has to.

“I thought the step up today was far too much but he’s proven himself.

“The timing is awkward, he wouldn’t be able to come back for the autumn or even Brisbane in the winter – so we’re aiming for next spring.

“The Epsom could be the perfect race for him, he’d get in with the right weight.”

Rangirangdoo’s veteran stablemate Mr Ubiquitous turned a one-week backup into a form overhaul, running a much improved race to finish a game second.

“He’ll win another race yet,” Waller said.

Metropolitan premiership-leading apprentice Ganderton anticipates Rangirangdoo will get over further, claiming his second scalp of the day after taking out the first aboard master Gai Waterhouse’s mare Gold Water.

“If he stays like he feels he will, he could be a real high class horse,” he said.

The placings and margins: Rangirangdoo 54kg ($3.30) (D. Ganderton (a)) defeated Mr Ubiquitous 55.5kg ($19) (D. Nikolic) by a length with My Sweet Cookie 54.5kg ($2.90) (J. Quinnell (a)) another two and a quarter lengths away in third.

The time and sectionals: The overall time for the race was 1.35.84 secs and the final 600 metres was run in 34.76 secs.

Winner’s breeding: A four-year-old gelding by Pentire (GB) x She Wishes (NZ) (Kenfair (NZ)).

What they said: “He possesses an explosive turn of foot,” winning jockey Daniel Ganderton said.

“He just wasn’t good enough,” said Danny Nikolic, rider of the runner-up Mr Ubiquitous.

“It was a good run, he got home well,” said Jamie Quinnell (a), the jockey of third placegetter My Sweet Cookie (fav).

“He raced like a horse looking for further,” said Brad Steward, rider of Synonym (4th).

“At the top of the straight I thought he’d win but he was done 100m from home. He doesn’t run a mile,” said Nathan Berry (a), rider of German Chocolate (7th).

The favourite: My Sweet Cookie made good ground to fill third placing after a tardy beginning.

The market: Hike halved his quote, backed in from $51 to $26 while Mr Ubiquitous met with support, in from $26 into $19. The on-course market closed at 117 per cent.

24.12.2008, SUMMER CUP TEST FOR BELLAGIO WYNN

Wednesday, 24 December 2008 By Caryl Williamson The jury is still out on Bellagio Wynn being a genuine stayer but trainer Chris Waller is prepared to let him prove his case in the Summer Cup. His first test over the 2400 metres of Friday’s feature at Randwick was against a similar field in the Listed Christmas Cup at Rosehill on December 13 when he finished fourth. The race was won by Ready To Lift from Zazabeau and Rainbow Styling, all acceptors for the Summer Cup. “I’m still not convinced he is a stayer but this is the right time to try him out after his creditable fourth in similar company,” Waller said. “Danny (Nikolic) said he ran the distance and was just as strong over the last 200 metres as he had been earlier in the race. “He also has the advantage that he is much better weighted than he was last time. “And it is a Group Three race worth a lot of money so we will give him a chance. “But we may need a few things to go wrong with Ready To Lift and a couple of others and a few things to go right with Bellagio Wynn.” Bellagio Wynn carried 58kg in the Christmas Cup but drops to 54kg on Friday. Topweight is Nuclear Sky with 59kg with Tommifrancs to carry 55kg and Ready To Lift also on 54kg with the other 10 runners all on 53kg. After a relatively quiet few weeks, Waller welcomed a double at Randwick on Saturday with Come On Cugat and Rangirangdoo, both ridden by Dwayne Dunn who was visiting from Melbourne. Waller currently has 27 Sydney winners for the season and is a comfortable third on the premiership behind Gai Waterhouse and Peter Snowden. Nikolic does much of the stable’s riding and will be aboard Bellagio Wynn again as well as First Look in the Randwick Betting Auditorium Handicap (1200m). Light Red, who finished third to subsequent Villiers Stakes winner Something Anything in a 1400-metre welter at Rosehill on December 13, will be saved for a similar race on Saturday in preference to Randwick where he drew barrier 14 of 15. “He’s drawn better in two at Rosehill so that’s where he’ll run,” Waller said. Waller said Bellagio Wynn would go for a spell after the Summer Cup. He was on Wednesday a $17 chance for the race with TAB Sportsbet with Ready To Lift the $3.10 favourite after she and Rainbow Styling opened equal picks at $3.60. Rainbow Styling, who has also firmed, is a $3.50 chance.