Rangirangdoo (NZ) Back to his Brilliant Best

Rangirangdoo (NZ) Back to his Brilliant Best

An emotional scene from trainer Chris Waller summed up the performance of the tough and brilliant Rangirangdoo after his comeback continued in fine fashion, winning the A$400,000 Group 1 Daily Telegraph George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Adding to the incredible season that horses carrying the NZ suffix are having, with Group 1 wins coming from Jimmy Choux and Lights of Heaven last week, the 2010 Doncaster Handicap winner Rangirangdoo (NZ) (Pentire x She Wishes) and jockey Chris Munce were simply too strong.

Forced to drastically change tack in the straight in order to find racing room, the six-year-old son of Pentire balanced up beautifully on straightening, to power after the game leader Vision and Power and, in the closest of margins, Rangirangdoo put his nose down at the line to record his second Group 1 victory.

Two starts back from a serious suspensory injury which saw him off the track for almost a year, Rangirangdoo's bold win from a difficult position in the straight only adds to the significance of his achievement.

An emotional Chris Waller was quick to praise the horse's performance and his team who got the horse back to where he is saying, "words cannot explain this, it was a breath taking win".

The victory was Rangirangdoo's tenth from only 21 starts and has taken his stakes earnings to over A$1.98 million.

Rangirangdoo was bred by Mrs V A & W K Pike, is raced by Mr N Morgan and was bought by Plumb Racing from the Longlands Stud draft at the 2006 Karaka Premier Sale for $170,000.

Do You Think Looks Something Special

Master trainer Bart Cummings continued his successful record with NZB graduates at Rosehill on Saturday with the highly promising colt Do You Think winning the A$125,000 Group 3 Schweppervescence Stakes (1400m).

A first emergency for the Group 1 Golden Slipper, Do You Think (Starcraft x Chickens) was prominent in the markets after a hugely impressive win under Hugh Bowman over 1100 metres at Canterbury on March 18.

With Hugh Bowman back on board, the two-year-old jumped well from his wide barrier and settled just off the lead before moving wide on the turn and claiming the lead 300 metres out. With plenty left in the tank, the son of Starcraft raced to the line to win by a length in a new race record time of 1.21.51 on a dead 5 track.

With the champion trainer declaring early last week that Do You Think was more than capable of a bold showing in the Group 1 Golden Slipper, the Group 3 win will be a good launch pad for the colt's tilt at the Group 1 Sires Produce (1400m) this Saturday, where he will meet Smart Missile, and the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) a fortnight later.

The Group 3 Schweppervescence Stakes was won last year by Skilled (Commands) who went on to win the Group 1 Champagne Stakes, beating the Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva (Anabaa).

Originally named Ingham, the colt is raced by So You Think's (NZ) owners Dato Tan Chin Nam & Tunku Ahmad Yahaya. He is the fifth foal of the Danehill two-year-old stakes-winning mare Chickens, a family Cummings has had great success with throughout the years, with Group 1 winners Danendri and Faint Perfume in the colt's pedigree.

Do You Think was the second highest priced Starcraft yearling sold in 2010 and was bought by DGR Thoroughbreds from the Haunui Farm draft for $360,000 from the 2010 Karaka Premier Sale. He remains unbeaten from his two starts on the track and has already earned his connections almost A$100,000.

In what could prove an astute purchase, a half brother to Do You Think by Hussonet was purchased by NZB as agent from Haunui Farm at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale for only $45,000.

Do You Think is the seventh stakes winner for the international Group 1 winner and NZB graduate Starcraft.

Flying Blue Looks to the Champions Mile

The John Size trained Flying Blue has continued his impressive season in Hong Kong, winning his third start in succession, this time against seasoned company in the HK$3,000,000 Group 2 HKJC Chairman's Trophy (1600m).

Never running worse than second in his career, Flying Blue (Piccolo x Bright Blue) has come from second place in a class three race on his Hong Kong debut, to winning the HK-2 Chairman's Trophy at his seventh Hong Kong start. And the way he won suggests there could be a bright future for the son of Piccolo.

Getting a good run in transit and being left alone in third spot, Flying Blue loomed up to the leaders in the straight and, needing little encouragement from jockey Douglas Whyte, took the lead from fellow NZB graduate Sight Winner (NZ), to hold a length margin with relative ease to the line, beating the fast finishing Thumbs Up (NZ). Also in his wake were the strong performers Viva Pataca, Special Days (NZ) and Fellowship (NZ).

With the HK-1 Champion's Mile coming up on April 25, Size will be looking to take Flying Blue's winning sequence to four. With Beauty Flash and Ambitious Dragon already flying the flag for NZB, Flying Blue will look to continue the fine run NZB graduates have been enjoying on the Hong Kong circuit.

Flying Blue made his race debut in New Zealand where he bolted in at Avondale by five lengths after winning his only trial.

Bought by J & I Bloodstock for $80,000 at the 2008 Select Sale, Flying Blue was sold by the Otago stud White Robe Lodge, who stand the son of Sadler's Wells in Raise the Flag among others, at their base in Taieri, Dunedin.

Hold it Harvey Too Good

Hold it Harvey made it back to back Group wins on Saturday with a superb performance in the $85,000 Group 2 Lawnmaster Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) in the Manawatu on Saturday.

Coming from mid-field, jockey Jamie Bullard brought Hold it Harvey (King Cugat x Daly Charm) into the race on the turn and, at the 300 metres, put payed to the strong field with a dazzling turn-of-foot, putting four lengths on the field and holding the huge margin to the post.

Winner of the Group 3 Thompson Handicap at his last start by two-and-a-half lengths, the Terri Rae trained mount is in a purple patch, and left some strong gallopers in his wake including Red Ruler, Vosne Romanee, Sir Slick and Capecover.

The win has taken his NZ domestic rating to 108 and brought up his 13th win from 52 starts, his stakes surpassing $550,000 with the emphatic victory.

Raced by M R Shepherd, Hold it Harvey was offered in the Sir James Lodge draft at the 2006 Ready to Run Sale.

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