3 minute read
Ranting springs surprise in Blue Sapphire.
In the pre-race build up, the three horse Blue Sapphire Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Caulfield was all about Anders (Not A Single Doubt) and Hanseatic (Street Boss) and Ranting (3 c ex Vanilla Ice Cream by More Than Ready) - who came into the race having yet to break his maiden - was largely overlooked, but he shocked his two rivals when he clinched victory on the line and in the process became stakes winner number 15 for Widden Stud-based sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor).
The Leon and Troy Corstens-trained three-year-old colt was having the sixth start of his career and as Anders and Hanseatic engaged in a battle up the straight, Ranting took the opportunity to swoop down the outside, eventually beating Hanseatic by a neck, while Anders came home another nose away in third.
Troy Corstens said the colt would now head to the Coolmore Stud Stakes (registered as Ascot Vale Stakes) (Gr 1, 1200m) on Derby day at Flemington.
"I thought he was going to (finish) a bit disappointing but he took that time to really balance up," Corstens said.
"I love the way he ran through the line."
Purchased by Flemington Bloodstock and Malua Racing for $280,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the colt is out of placed More Than Ready (Southern Halo) mare Vanilla Ice Cream.
Ranting's third dam is dual Group 2 winner Palatious (Semipalatinsk) - the dam of Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Danelagh (Danehill), who in turn produced multiple Group 1-winning Hong Kong champion Vengeance Of Rain (Zabeel) and 2005 Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Dizelle (Zabeel).
Dizelle is the dam of Pinot (Pierro), who landed the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) in 2017 and Listed scorer Dizlago (Encosta De Lago)
Danelagh is also the dam of Listed scorer Bernicia (Elusive Quality) who produced 2016 Tulloch Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) winner Old North (Lonhro).
Vanilla Ice Cream's colt by Tarzino (Tavistock) was purchased by Malua Bloodstock for NZ$80,000 at this year's New Zealand Bloodstock National Karaka Yearling Sale.
Zoustar's progeny is headed by multiple Group 1-winning mare Sunlight - who was purchased for a record-breaking $4,200,000 at this year's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. Zoustar stands at Widden Stud in the Hunter Valley for a fee of $121,000 (inc GST).
The stallion also shuttles to Tweenhills Stud in Gloucestershire for the northern hemisphere breeding season and his first foals are set to be offered this year, including at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, where 23 lots will go under the hammer.
