Rangirangdoo Leads NZ Charge at Randwick
19 April 2010
New Zealand gallopers produced another top day for their industry on Saturday, winning three stakes races at Randwick on the prestigious Emirates Doncaster Day, including Rangirangdoo breaking through to win the A$1.5 million feature mile.
With formidable jockey Nash Rawiller in the saddle, Rangirangdoo (Pentire x She Wishes by Kenfair) produced his trademark finishing sprint to finally break through for the coveted Group 1 victory after three seconds at racing's top echelon. He beat a star-studded field with George Main Stakes winner Road to Rock (Encosta de Lago) in second place and others in the beaten brigade including five-time Group 1 winner Theseo (Danewin) and glamour mare Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom).
Rangirangdoo's win made it three on the trot for New Zealand with the Waller-trained Triple Honour (Honours List) winning in 2008, and Vision and Power (Carnegie) last year, and the mighty NZ mare Sunline (Desert Sun) also winning the race twice in her career.
Bred by Wayne and Vicki Pike of Longlands Stud, they sold the now five-year-old as a yearling at the Karaka Premier Sale for $170,000 to Plumb Racing - well less than a tenth of his total prizemoney of over A$1.7 million to date. His stakes-placed dam's half-sister Satinka (Stravinsky) has also provided some more solid black type to the pedigree in recent years with multiple stakes wins including the Matamata Breeders' Stakes, NZB Royal Stakes and Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic.
Standing at Rich Hill Stud, Pentire has forged an enviable record as a versatile sire, now with ten Group 1 winners to his credit including sprinters (Mufhasa), milers (Rangirangdoo) and stayers (Xcellent, Pentane, Zarita).
Earlier in the day Karaka Premier Sale graduate Kudakulari (Savabeel x Oenotria by O'Reilly) kicked off for the Kiwis with a super win in the Listed Sharp Fernhill Handicap (1600m), breaking maiden ranks in just his third raceday start.
A $140,000 purchase by his trainer Bart Cummings from Little Avondale Stud, he is built in the mould of a typical Cummings stayer making the juvenile stakes win a bonus. He now heads to the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick this Saturday and�is the fourth stakes winner for young Waikato Stud sire, Cox Plate and Spring Champion Stakes winning three-year-old Savabeel (Zabeel).
Shortly after, Herculian Prince (Yamanin Vital x Sea Island by Woodman) produced a bold front-running display for his fourth win in a row, winning the Listed AJC Japan Racing Association Plate (2000m). Fellow NZ stayer Booming (Don Eduardo x Beautiful Sea by Grosvenor) was third for Jeff Lynds.
Bred by Courtney Leitch's Amber Thoroughbreds, the promising galloper looks to have an exciting big cups preparation ahead of him with trainer Gai Waterhouse commenting after the race that he's booked his ticket to Flemington for the first Tuesday in November.
Entered in New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Bloodstock Sale from 3 - 5 May is a half-sister to Yamanin Vital with Lot 535, No Hula No Dance (Rhythm), and her weanling filly by Darci Brahma, Lot 86, both being offered as part of the Jamison Bloodstock unreserved dispersal.
Booming was a successful pin-hook by Seaton Park, originally purchased for $33,000 at the National Weanling Sale from Fayette Park Stud then on-sold eight months later for $50,000 to Wellington-based Don Frampton.