Contributer confirmed his status as the best weight-for-age horse in Australia with an outstanding victory in the 2015 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this afternoon.
Contributer maintained his unbeaten record this preparation with a strong win in the Ranvet Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Jockey James McDonald settled Contributer close to the speed in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m), but the talented hoop elected to position the five-year-old towards the tail of the field in the Ranvet Stakes, while Fast Dragon took up the running in the early stages.
Fast Dragon kicked well clear of his rivals coming around the turn, but quickly came back to his rivals as Contributer, Lucia Valentina and Tosen Stardom all finished strongly.
Contributer, Lucia Valentina and Tosen Stardom all received a check after Fast Dragon laid across Contributer, but the Godolphin galloper turn-of-foot could not be matched by his rivals and he put the race to bed between the 200 metre and 100 metre marks to record a second straight win at Group 1 level in the Ranvet Stakes.
McDonald was thrilled to get another Group 1 victory with Contributer and he believes that the High Chaparral entire deserves the title of the best weight-for-age horse in Australia.
“This horse is superior to any horse racing in the country and I think that he has stamped himself as one of the best horses in Australia,” McDonald said.
Trainer John O’Shea said that the plan was always to settle Contributer towards the tail of the field in the early stages of the race, but he revealed that he was worried about how the imported galloper would handle the firm going.
O’Shea was thrilled that Contributer was able to show that he can handle a wide variety of racing surfaces and he confirmed that the two-time Group 1 winner would now progress to the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.
“James has always been adamant that if we ride him a little bit quieter he will accelerate better and I think you saw that today,” McDonald said.
“It was a wonderful performance, he has an electric turn-of-foot and we have been happy with him at home, he ran right up to it.
“The ground was a big worry for us and I just said to him going out ‘that if he is feeling the ground, you look after him’.
“We will get him home, keep him going and turn up in three weeks’ time and hope.”
Tosen Stardom hit the line well in his Australian racing debut and is sure to taken plenty of benefit from the run heading into the Ranvet Stakes, while Lucia Valentina was far from disgraced in third.
