Rangirangdoo (Pentire - She Wishes by Kenfair), trainer Chris Waller’s rising star, will shoot for the biggest victory of his flourishing career on Saturday when he ventures beyond a mile for the first time in the Mackinnon Stakes (Gr.1-2000m).  
   Bookmakers believe the extra distance will not unduly trouble this progressive galloper who has generally been trimmed from 7/2 to 5/2 favourite for the weight-for-age contest at Flemington on Saturday.     
  Rangirangdoo’s win last weekend could not have been more emphatic as the five-year-old careered away with the Group 2 Patinack Farm Crystal Mile  by three-and-a-half lengths.
Waller had intentions of starting Rangirangdoo in the Cox Plate but a poor workout at Moonee Valley on 20 October during which the five-year-old gelding baulked at a gap and caused jockey Corey Brown to bale out of the saddle, made the choice to start in the Crystal Mile easier.
   “We made the right decision and I wasn’t keen to run him in the Cox Plate anyway because he’s still learning. The plan is that he’ll be the right sort of horse for the Plate next year,” Waller told TVN’s Bruce Clark. 
   “Hopefully missing the Cox Plate will prove a blessing in disguise because it would have been a very tough race and he has come out of the Crystal Mile well. We could also have run him in the Emirates Stakes (Gr.1-1600m) the following Saturday, but the Mackinnon looks the more winnable race for now.”
   Trends suggest another two runners to consider are the tough-as-teak Zipping (Danehill Social Scene by Grand Lodge) and Scenic Shot (Scenic - Sweepshot by Dr. Grace) who ran third and fifth respectively in the Cox Plate last weekend. Why? Because two of the last four Mackinnon winners - Lad Of The Manor and Theseo - have also run placings in Australasia’s weight-for-age championship in their previous start.

Tags: Group I, VRC
Permalink| Oct 30, 2009

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