By Bren O'Brien
The unusual sight of a three-horse stakes race produced a contest which is likely to be remembered as one of the most stirring of the spring as outsider Ranting (NZ) (Zoustar) claimed his maiden victory in the G3 Catanach's Jewellers Blue Sapphire S. at Caulfield.
The small field which the midweek feature drew raised a few eyebrows this week, with the highly rated Anders (Not A Single Doubt) seemingly scaring off potential rivals.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained colt, racing in the Widden Stud colours for the first time, was joined by Anthony and Sam Freedman prepared Godolphin colt Hanseatic (Street Boss {USA}) and the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Ranting in a select field.
What evolved was an intriguing contest between three very good colts.
As expected, Anders led up, but not at the rolling pace he had shown in his wins in Sydney, and Ranting was able to sit up outside of him early on after jumping well himself. However, Ben Melham on Ranting was not able to cross Hanseatic and when the Godolphin colt pushed up between the two leaders as the field loomed for home, it appeared to be down to a two-horse race.
"I said a few expletives to myself, but he's such a good colt," Melham said. "I trialled him the other day and we had blinkers on him. Obviously that trial has sharpened him up, he left the gates really good and hit the ground running."
Hanseatic challenged Anders strongly from around the 400 metre mark, while Ranting's effort looked spent as he battled away outside of them, well over 1l adrift. However, Melham continued to get to work on Ranting and just as it looked Hanseatic was to get the better of Anders, Melham and his mount began closing.
"They had a tooth and nail battle and they got away from me on the corner, but I let him drift out away from them down the straight and he was too strong late. It was no surprise to me that he won, and it's onwards and upwards for him," the jockey said.
"They had a tooth and nail battle and they got away from me on the corner, but I let him drift out away from them down the straight and he was too strong late." - Ben Melham
In a brilliant finish, it was Ranting, the $11 outsider, who had the momentum late on, winning by 0.2l from Hanseatic, with Anders just 0.1l away in third.
"It’s surreal actually, it’s really good. When they started to drop him off I thought, he's going to be a bit disappointing, but he just took that time to balance up and I love the way he ran through the line," Troy Corstens said.
"I thought to myself that he'd had a really tough run but before the corner I thought he was going quite good and he then lacked that real good race smarts to come around the corner and put them away, but he's wound up and he got there in the end."
Ranting has campaigned almost exclusively in stakes company and before today had been placed in a G3 Breeders' S. a G3 Vain S. and a G2 Danehill S. without a career win.
Coolmore beckons
But having finally broken through, he is set to join his stablemate Swat's That (Shamus Award) in heading towards the G1 Coolmore Stud S. at Flemington on October 31, a race his sire Zoustar won in 2013.
"I have two really good horses going to the Coolmore. He's going to be a really valuable colt one day and hopefully we can run really well there at Flemington," he said.
Swat's That
Corstens said he had never worked the colt Ranting and filly, Swats That, together and he'd find out when they clash at Flemington about which is the best 3-year-old sprinter in the stable.
"They will both go to the Coolmore, but I can sit back and say 'don't make me choose between my children' and we won't find out until Derby Day," he said.
Building the resume
Ranting was a $280,000 purchase for Flemington Bloodstock and Malua Racing at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He boasts a strong pedigree, with his grandam, the stakes-placed Villa Bled (Danehill {USA}), a sister to the influential Danelagh, who won the G1 Blue Diamond S. and produced the Group 1 winners Subscribe/Vengeance Of Rain (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and Dizelle (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}). Dizelle has in turn produced the G1 VRC Oaks winner Pinot (Pierro).
Ranting (NZ) as a yearling
"So much hard work goes in with these horses and there is a great group of owners in him," Corstens said. "When you have a colt who looks as good as him, he's just an outstanding looking colt, to be able to win these races, that's what the Australian market is all about.
"You are constantly trying to build their value and that's why you don’t go back to a maiden, because it does nothing for your value, whereas a race like that just bumps it up."
Of the beaten brigade, unfortunately Hanseatic bled during the race and will be subject to a three-month ban.
Anders remains the favourite for the Coolmore Stud S. at $5, with Ranting now into $8 for the Flemington feature after his win.
