The 2014 Ranvet Stakes field features only nine runners, but is set to be a key lead-up race to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes after both Fiorente and It’s A Dundeel were included in the acceptances for the Group 1 event that will be run at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.
It's A Dundeel is chasing his first race win since he upset Atlantic Jewel to win the Underwood Stakes during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Fiorente (barrier four) will be having just his second career race start in Sydney after starting his autumn preparation with back-to-back wins in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on February 22 and the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 8.
The Monsun entire will be chasing his fourth straight win and has the chance to join Manighar (2012) and Great Scot (1903) as the only horses that have won the Australian Cup and the Ranvet Stakes in the same year.
It’s A Dundeel (barrier one) will be returning to Rosehill Gardens for the first time since he scored a dominant seven lengths win in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) during the 2013 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and connections are hoping that he can bounce back from his first-up defeat to Boban in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on March 8.
The High Chaparral entire has scored three wins from three second-up starts and during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival upset glamour mare Atlantic Jewel to win the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (2000m) in the second start of his preparation.
Chris Waller-trained Foreteller broke through for his maiden win at Group 1 level in last year’s Ranvet Stakes and has the opportunity to become the first horse since Theseo to win the $500,000 race in back-to-back years.
Foreteller has raced consistently since returning to the races in the Group 1 Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 8 and worked home strongly to finish third behind Fiorente and Green Moon in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m).
The Dansili gelding will be joined in the Ranvet Stakes by stablemates Hawkspur and Moriarty, who both performed fairly behind Boban and It’s A Dundeel in the Chipping Norton Stakes.
Gai Waterhouse is the only other trainer that will have multiple runners in the Ranvet Stakes field; with Carlton House set to make his Australia Group 1 debut in the race.
Carlton House was most competitive at Group 1 level in the United Kingdom, finishing third in the 2011 Epsom Derby (2423m) and second behind So You Think in the 2012 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (2011m), and looks to have finally found a semblance of his best form in Australia.
The Her Majesty The Queen Of England-owned entire returned to the races with a fair ninth in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) and clearly appreciated the step-up in distance when second behind Opinion in the Listed Parramatta Cup (1900m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 1.
Rounding out the 2014 Ranvet Stakes field are progressive gelding Sertorius (barrier six), talented New Zealand-trained mare Silent Achiever (barrier nine) and 2013 Queensland Oaks winner Gondokoro (barrier three).
