Derby Aspirations for Stryker 3YO

Promising Stryker three year-old Rangipo is building an impressive record in New Zealand, recording his third win from just six starts at Tauranga on Saturday.

Trained by Tony Pike and ridden by Vinnie Colgan, Rangipo was a short priced favourite and strode clear to win the 1400 metre three year-old open handicap by more than a length.

Rangipo has now three of his past four starts and is clearly on an upward spiral.

“He’s a horse we’ve always had a lot of time for but he has taken a little while to learn what the game is all about,” Pike noted.

“In his last couple of starts you can see the penny has dropped and Saturday’s performance was very professional as he relaxed nicely outside the leader and showed good acceleration when he was asked to quicken in the run home.

“He has always appealed as a type who will get over ground as he was last to pull up on Saturday which has been the norm for him, while he is out of a Zabeel mare so the blood is there to suggest he will stay.”

Pike will now send his charge to the paddock for a ten day break before bringing him back with a view towards the Group I New Zealand Derby in March.

“With his latest win he has probably put himself over the threshold of prizemoney he will need to get a start in the Derby which is a bonus at this time of the year,” he said.

“Generally those things take care of themselves as you have to be competitive in the lead-up races to warrant a Derby start but it will make it easier to get a start in those races along the way.”

Retained to race by his breeder, Rangipo has some staying blood on his dam’s side as he is the first foal of minor winning Zabeel mare Holloway, a sibling to Group II winner Maze and stakes-winners Barlinnie and Penitentiary.

Rangipo is one of a growing list of winners for promising young Fastnet Rock sire Stryker, whose oldest progeny are just three year-olds.

The foundation sire for Three Bridges Thoroughbreds, Stryker stands at a fee of $11,000.