Talented galloper Ranting was back in the winner’s circle at The Valley on Friday night as he landed the MSC Signs Handicap (1200m) after a daring ground-saving ride by Blake Shinn.
Ranting was three pairs back on the rails throughout much of the contest and faced a wall of horses in front of him as the field neared the home turn.
Shinn drove Ranting through a narrow gap, one off the fence in the run home and the six-year-old son of Zoustar did the rest as he sprinted hard to collar pacemaker Semillion and score going away by a neck.
Shinn, who had earlier taken out the first race on the card with a swooping run out wide on Farhh Flung, was delighted to get the Nick Ryan-trained galloper home for the first time since May last year.
“It was pretty exciting although the heart was in the mouth,” Shinn said.
“I thought the pace might be frantic but they didn’t go as fast as everyone anticipated.
“They bunched right up and I was relying on a lot of luck from the 600m onwards, but I had the horse to capitalise and it was one of those days where fortune went our way as the gap came and he was too good.”
Ryan was quick to praise Shinn for his patience and undoubted skill to get his charge home after he had struggled to finish off his races on occasion in the past.
“Twelve out of ten by Blake and very exciting to watch although it looked like it was going to be a train-wreck for a while,” Ryan said.
“That’s why he is the best in the business as he just waited and didn’t force the issue and Ranting, who doesn’t really like hitting the front, didn’t know he had and he burst through for a great result.
“The owners are on course and the team has done a good job, so we’re very happy.”
Ryan has had the gelding in his care for three starts, with the galloper previously trained by Leon and Troy Corstens.
“He’s Group performed and run in some big races and he might gain a lot of confidence from this,” he said.
“We won’t raise the bar too high, but he was purchased from Inglis Digital for $70,000 and is now a city winner so the rest is a bonus from here.”
Ranting is out of the More Than Ready mare Vanilla Ice Cream and was bred by Westbury Stud principal Gerry Harvey. He comes from an extended family that includes Gr.1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) winner Danelagh, former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Vengeance Of Rain and Gr.1 AJC Oaks (2400m) winner Dizelle.
A winner of the Gr.3 Blue Sapphire (1200m) as a three-year-old, where he defeated Gr.1 Blue Diamond Sakes (1200m) runner-up Hanseatic and Gr.3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) winner Anders, he has now won three of his 26 starts and in excess of A$588,000 in prizemoney.