19.11.2008, RANGIRANGDOO THE PUNTER’S FRIEND AT CANTERBURY

Amanda Hawke
Wednesday, 12 November 2008

The Chris Waller-trained Rangirangdoo has made more than a few punters happy by scoring his maiden win in the Lucky Freeway’s Hotel Handicap (1550m) at Canterbury today.

The son of Pentire with two placings for two starts showed just why he was sent out at a $1.75 starting price, unchallenged by the maiden field and greeting the judge two lengths clear.

Early leader Ramani dictated with a slow tempo before Rangirangdoo crossed her at the 800 metre mark and continued to draw away from Sir Wally who clung to the rails for second, while Long Journey Home ran on for third.

“Full credit to Daniel Ganderton for the ride, it was a shuffling race and he hit trouble in the back straight,” Waller said.

“We’ll give him one more run in a midweek before we get serious with him next preparation.”

The placings and margins: Rangirangdoo 58kg ($1.75) (D. Ganderton (a)) defeated Sir Wally 55.5kg ($6.50) (P. Wells (a)) by two lengths with Long Journey Home 56kg ($4) (H. Bowman) a further one and three quarters of a length away in third.

The time and sectionals: The overall time for the race was a class record in 1.33.10 secs and they ran the final 600 metres in 35.42 secs.

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

What they said: “He’s a lovely horse, lots of ability but he’s still learning,” winning jockey Daniel Ganderton said after the victory.

“Good effort but he’ll shine over further,” said Peter Wells, rider of Sir Wally.

“Fair run,” said Hugh Bowman, rider of Long Journey Home.

“He wasn’t suited by the tempo and he’ll be a better horse given six months,” said Kathy O’Hara, rider of Sherwoods Choice.

The betting: Rangirangoo was the best-backed runner from $1.95 into $1.75 while Jacala was backed from $20 into $15. The on-course market closed at 120 percent. 

19.11.2008, SIRE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW ALERT

Tara Madgwick
Tuesday, 4 November 2008

IMPROVING Snow Alert, the 3-year-old colt who secured his second win and fifth prize cheque, two of them in stakes, in six starts when he annexed the opening event at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, is likely to attract widespread interest as a sire prospect.

Like two exalted close relations, the Snippets brothers Snowland and Snippetson, bred by the Brian Marheine family at their Stratheden Stud at Tamworth in north western NSW and raced by them out of the Chris Waller stables at Rosehill, Snow Alert is by the Vinery Stud, Scone, Hunter Valley very fashionable shuttle sire Red Ransom and from France bred Flurry.

A winner on France’s famous Longchamp and Listed stakes placed twice, Flurry had two earlier winners, one of them successful in a stakes event, from use back home and had produced three reported foals, the first of which was Snow Alert, in Australia before dying at the age of15 in July of this year.   Flurry is by the Blushing Groom champion 3-year-old and good sire Groom Dancer and is one of seven winners from Snowtop, a brilliant Irish galloper by the speed influencing Thatching. A non-winning half-sister to Flurry is Snowdrift, the dam of the Marheine bred AJC The Galaxy winner Snowland and the STC Eskimo Prince Stakes winner and AJC Challenge Stakes second Snippetson, She also produced the 2008 Red Ransom AJC Gimcrack Stakes winner and STC Golden Slipper third Portillo, but after the Marheines had disposed of her in a broodmare reduction package.

Now standing at David Baxter’s Macquarie Stud at Wellington, NSW, Snowland (pictured) is a proven young sire with his first crop, current 3-year-olds, headed by Group1 winner Absolut Glam, while Snippetson is at the Widden Stud and is to have first crop yearlings at 2009 sales. He had 150 mares in his first season in 2006 and 174 last year.

Snow Alert is also related to Al Hareb, a Group1 2-year-old winner in England and sire of good winners when imported to Australia, initially standing at Widden stud’s next door neighbour in the Widden Valley, the Baramul Stud, when it was owned by the Antico family.

Sire of the magnificent sprinter Hareeba, Al Hareb was a half-brother to four European stakes winners including Snowtop, grandam of Snow Alert. They were from Icing, a leading English juvenile filly got by the very smart Prince Tenderfoot from Cake, a powerfully bred daughter of American bred English Derby winner Never Say Die and a mare by a world leading source of stamina, Alycidon.

One Alycidon’s sons from the same family as Snow Alert was New Zealand used champion Australasian sire Alcimedes, the sire of Melbourne Cup winners Galilee and Silver Knight.

Yet another product of the family has been Vibrant, a sire sent to Australia by Stanley Wootton of Star Kingdom fame and initially based at the Baramul Stud. One of Vibrant’s daughters, Forina, won the Blue Diamond Stakes.

Far more remotely, the family produced two very influential sires last century in world breeding in the brothers Fairway and Pharos.- Brian Russell Media.