Group Two Winner for Stryker
Long touted as a stakes horse of the future, promising Stryker gelding Rangipo delivered on his potential when winning the Group II Great Northern Guineas over 1600 metres at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
His trainer Tony Pike was quick to admit the fickle Ellerslie weather had both he and the gelding’s connections leaning towards scratching their charge as the track was downgraded from an initial Good 2 penetrometer reading to a Slow 7 following persistent heavy showers through the morning.
However Pike held the inkling his charge could still be competitive in the ground and convinced his owners to press ahead with the run.
That proved a masterstroke as rider Vinnie Colgan bounced the son of Stryker out of the barrier to settle on the outside of pacemaker Henree Winkler as the pair set a muddling speed throughout the contest.
Colgan sent his mount to the front at the top of the straight and he showed plenty of heart to repel all challenges. Rangipo scored by one and a quarter lengths from Get That Jive with Dukedom a neck away in third as the 1600 metre journey was cut out in a respectable 1.37.97 on the rain affected going.
“We were pretty close to scratching him after the track downgrade as we felt the slow going would be a little tough for him given he hadn’t raced for over a month,” explained Pike.
“The weather settled a little and the times they were running said the track wasn’t as bad as we first thought so I said to his owners we should start and they agreed.
“As it turned out it was the right call as Vinnie controlled the speed throughout and he found a good kick when he asked him at the top of the straight.”
Highlighted as a classic contender after winning three of his first four starts in this campaign, Rangipo disappointed slightly when running fourth at his most recent run in the Group III Wellington Stakes at Otaki.
“He didn’t do himself any favours at Otaki as he was very fractious in the barriers and missed the start quite badly,” noted Pike. “We brought him home and gave him a week in the paddock where he freshened up nicely so I was pleased with how he was heading into today. When it rained it put us in two minds but we pulled the right rein in the end.”
Retained to race by his breeder, Rangipo has won four of eight starts and is the first foal of minor winning Zabeel mare Holloway, a sibling to Group II winner Maze and stakes-winners Barlinnie and Penitentiary.
He is the second stakes-winner for promising young Fastnet Rock stallion Stryker, the foundation sire for leading Victorian nursery Three Bridges Thoroughbreds.
Stryker has four entries for the Magic Millions Yearling Sale next week, click here to see them.