The Darren Weir trained Rageese has found winning form at the right time as he prepares to line up in the Group 1 $1m James Boag’s Premium Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot in Perth on Saturday.
Rageese, above, has found wining form heading into the Railway Stakes at Ascot. Photo by Steve Hart.
Rageese was unplaced at his first two Spring Carnival outings before showing some improvement to finish second to Master Reset in a 1500m BenchMark 90 Handicap at Moonee Valley on October 21.
At his latest start Rageese found himself back in the winner’s stall with a one length victory over Arod in the Group 3 $200,000 L’Oreal Paris Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on November 3.
“He was being set for the spring but he missed the early part of it and we had to target races at the end of the spring, and now he’s come good,” stable representative Jarrod McLean told the Herald Sun.
“I thought his last win at Flemington was awesome and he’s bounced right out of it. He won against the pattern and he finished off strongly.”
Rageese has drawn barrier eleven in the original draw with last start winning jockey Damian Lane travelling to Perth to maintain his association with the four year old.
Rageese is the winner of four of his seventeen races and apart from his last start win in the Group 3 $200,000 L’Oreal Paris Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on November 3, one of his best results was a dead heat for second behind Pride Of Dubai in the 2015 Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires (1400m) at Randwick.
While during his three year old season, the Street Cry stallion was only beaten two and half lengths when fifth to Press Statement in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield during the 20115 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
McLean travelled to West Australia with Rageese and stablemate Stratum Star and said that both horses had settled in well at harness racing trainer Colin Brown’s Banjup property, twenty-five kilometres south of Perth.
“Darren is trying to replicate what the horses have at home, having them away from the city,” McLean said.
Betting at Ladbrokes.com.au has Rageese as one of the top fancies for the Railway Stakes at $7.50 behind the local mare Perfect Reflection at $5 and the Chris Waller trained Mackintosh at $6.50.
The Grant and Alana Williams trained Perfect Reflection has also found winning form at the right time and heads into the Railway Stakes on the back of a win in the Group 2 $250,000 Waroa-Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 5.
The More Than Ready mare has drawn perfectly at barrier two and is certain to be given the run of the race from Perth’s leading jockey William Pike.
Damien Oliver will be looking for all the breaks on Mackintosh who was out of luck at the barrier draw, coming up with gate sixteen, but could jump from thirteen if all three emergencies fail to gain a start.
