The Ranvet Stakes marks the first Group 1 staying event of the Sydney carnival. Join our coverage here on The Roar in the lead up to the 3.30pm AEDT jump time.
Run over 2000m under weight-for-age conditions, this year’s field has been bolstered by the return of last year’s winner, Manighar and boom colt Fiveandahalfstar, who is the only three-year-old courageous enough to take on the older horses.
The traditional lead up race to the Ranvet is the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes, run over 1600m a fortnight ago, but only a few horses join us today via the Chipping Norton which has left form lines ambiguous.
Having taken out this race last year, on his way to winning the BMW Tancred, Manighar ran a disappointing 11th on a wet ground in the Chipping Norton.
It was his first run since injuring a tendon that ruined last year’s spring campaign.
Normally a good first up runner who had previously placed in all his first up starts, Manighar’s return from injury was well below expectation.
Last year, he was Australia’s best weight-for-age horse after claiming the Australian Cup, Ranvet and BMW Tancred as well as running second in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Maykbe Diva Stakes.
At his best, he wins today by several lengths but his first up run suggests he hasn’t fully recovered from the injury which ruined his spring campaign.
New Zealand raiders will be looking to claim Australian Group 1’s in back-to-back weeks with Roger James trained Silent Achiever to finishing 4th in the Chipping Norton.
She wound up strongly over the final 200m to finish just 1.1 lengths behind the eventual winner and will appreciate the step up in distance here.
Last time Silent Achiever was here at Rosehill, she ran second in the Rosehill Guineas last year. Despite failing to feature in the placings in the Chipping Norton, her run was encouraging enough to suggest she’ll be very competitive here.
The other Kiwi raider is 2011 VRC Derby winner, Sangster. The Savabeel gelding has been on a bumper run of form winning his last three starts at distances of 2000m, 2400m and the Group 1 Auckland Cup 3200m.
Today will be a drop back in distance and a step up in class for Sangster who is nearing the end of his preparation. How he runs today will be used as a benchmark of how to prepare him in the spring more than anything.
The likely favourite will be the underdog of the field, Fiveandahalfstar. The Anthony Cummings trained gelding has been one of the highlights of the autumn so far but is still yet to record a win.
He has finished second in all three of his starts but the most impressive of the three was when he tackled the older horses in the Australian Cup to finish second behind Super Cool, another three year old.
With Super Cool out of the equation here in a race over the same distance as the Australian Cup, Fiveandahalfstar has an excellent chance to claim his first victory since winning the VRC Derby in the spring.
The smokey of the field is David Vandyke’s French import, Prince Cheri. The four year old import has had just three runs which resulted in victory over 2400m on debut in France, a second placing in France over 2400m. His first run on Australian soil was an impressive victory over 1550m earlier in the month.
So far, Prince Cheri has not raced against a quality field like the one assembled today but he appears to have travelled very well.
He’ll be targeted towards the spring majors but with no form lines to compare him against, he’s capable of anything and is worthy of the smokey title.
Chris Waller saddles up three of his import who he bought over as Melbourne Cup hopefuls. Of the trio, Foreteller will be the most interesting to watch.
Two starts ago, the six-year-old gelding defeated Budriquez in the Peter Young Stakes over 1800m under weight-for-age conditions.
Budriquez went on to dead heat with Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune in the Blamey Stakes, two weeks later.
Kelinni and Gatewood are both seeking beyond 2000m and Waller will use today to assess whether they are pressed onto the BMW Tancred or the Sydney Cup.
Preview provided by Alfred Chan.
Alfred Chan’s tips:
1. Silent Achiever
2. Fiveandahalfstar
3. Prince Cheri
4. Foreteller
Roar Editor Justin Cinque
1. Fiveandahalfstar
2. Silent Achiever
3. Mawingo
4. Manighar
Roar Expert Cameron Rose
1. Fiveandahalfstar
2. Silent Achiever
3. Sangster
4. Niwot
Roar Expert Andrew Hawkins
1. Fiveandahalfstar
2. Silent Achiever
3. Sangster
4. Gatewood
Chad Bennett
Editor
Anyway, thanks for reading along, we'll now move onto the Coolmore Classic, which you can follow along here ahead of the 4.10pm AEDT start time.
Chad Bennett
Editor
It was a good ride up until about the 250m from Robl, but he (and Anthony) wouldn't have been too impressed with how it went from there on, and unfortunately races aren't paid out at the 250m mark.
Chad Bennett
Editor
Anyway, that's about all she wrote from the Ranvet, correct weight has been announced. FINAL RESULTS: 1. 3 Foreteller (P Robl, C Waller) 31.00 2. 13 Fiveandahalfstar 2.60 3. 7 Maluckyday 26.00 4. 4 Mawingo 15.00
Andrew Young
Guest
Get Bossy back on board!!!
Chad Bennett
Editor
Well it is already run abnormally late - 5.15pm or 5.30pm last year, I think? So it seems to be edging closer and closer toward that. If any of the 'major' Group 1s were to go to a night meeting Mooney Valley would be the track to run it on.
Chad Bennett
Editor
Those (and judging by the price, there would have been a few) who were on the favourite Fiveandahalfstar will be spewing. Robl gave it every chance in front, and had plenty of opportunity to set a gentle tempo. 200m out and it was home, but couldn't close out the race and Anthony Cummings will have to be content with a fourth consecutive second placing of the campaign.
Jason Cave
Guest
After last night seeing Black Caviar score yet another victory, in front of a crowd of 25,000, what chance of the Cox Plate being run at night?
Chad Bennett
Editor
And The Roar's Idiot Of The Week Award well and truly goes to me, for tipping Foreteller at a quote of around $34 on track and failing to put a single cent on it!
Chad Bennett
Editor
Another great Group 1 win for The Pumper, Jim Cassidy. Looked all but gone after struggling to find a run by Jimmy was able to seemingly lift the horse through the last 200m for the win.
Chad Bennett
Editor
FORETELLER has flown home to win at a huge quote in the final 100m! Fiveandahalfstar looked home and hosed at the 200m but Robl wasn't able to get a good hold on the fave and he continued to drift toward the outside rail, allowing Foreteller to get home, Mayluckyday third.
Chad Bennett
Editor
BOILOVER!
Chad Bennett
Editor
Fiveandahalfstar by two lengths into the straight!
Chad Bennett
Editor
Robl has sat up on the fave now! Good news if you're on Fiveandahalfstar. 600m out.
Chad Bennett
Editor
Healthy tempo, Fiveandahalfstar and Kelinni two lengths in front.
Chad Bennett
Editor
Fiveandahalfstar and Kelinni settle the best early. Gatewood booting around the outside to take second in front of Kelinni.
Chad Bennett
Editor
Racing in the Ranvet!
Chad Bennett
Editor
Only one or two more to load...
Chad Bennett
Editor
Any ideas here? I'm gonna thumb my nose at the favourite and look wide. Foreteller at a very, very wide quote. Let's see!
Chad Bennett
Editor
Horses are well and truly out of the mounting yard and behind the barriers now, we are less than two minutes away from the scheduled start time.
Chad Bennett
Editor
Interesting to note that a three-year-old hasn't been able to with the Ranvet since 1998, when Gold Guru was steered home by Raymond Shane Dye to win as a $5.50 chance. Will Fiveandahalfstar be able to break that 14-year drought?