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Ranvet Stakes preview

Among the star-studded card at Rosehill is the Ranvet Stakes, a G1 which these days is more of a lead-up to the bigger races in The Championships.

Casting a sharp eye over the field is Joshua Reed, @joshuareed22, budding NSW form analyst making his debut on the blog. Welcome aboard Josh!

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 Ranvet Stakes
Group 1, WFA, 2000m, AU$700,000
Rosehill R4, Saturday, 24/3 
1405 local, 0305 GMT


The Group 1 Ranvet Stakes for 2018 may only have nine runners, but it oozes quality over the quantity!

The 2018 edition of the Ranvet contains five raiders from south of the border who all came to this race via the Australian Cup and one from over the ditch leaving just three NSW horses to defend their home turf.

As we dissect the race more in depth, we will base our form around a Soft 7 track or worse which will make this no easier as all nine runners have run well on a soft track or worse with Gailo Chop and Ventura Storm winning over 60% of their soft track runs.


1.      Gailo Chop – Coming into this race fourth-up is nothing but a positive for this Darren Weir runner. Has won two of its past three races and you could make a massive case that it should be 3/3. Distance and soft track won’t be any worry and Mark Zahra has come up purely for this ride. Will start a short price favourite and deserves to be.

2.      Classic Uniform – This Gary Moore trained gelding has been only fair in both of his starts this preparation finishing seventh first-up then coming out second-up and running a decent race to finish 3rd behind Winx. He is third up here so fitness won’t be an issue, neither will the distance or wet track. Can’t see him winning this race but we can definitely make a case that he could sneak into a placing.

3.      Harlem – The last start Australian Cup winner is no slouch when it comes the big races. Forget his run in the Peter Young two starts back where he was too far back on a track which favoured the leaders. Showed last start what he could do with Michael Walker aboard this time travelling in the better part of the Flemington track. He is better on top of the ground, so I can’t make a case for him being in the finish.

4.      Prized Icon – This Kris Lees runner finally gets out to a more comfortable distance and should be nice and fit ready for this. He hasn’t been far away in all 4 runs this preparation and is on the quick back up for this which means the stable believes he is ready. Shouldn’t have an issue on the going and expect him to be in the finish at $10.

5.      Ventura Storm – The wetter the tracks gets, the more this guy comes into play. Being third-up will mean he is rock hard fit and looking to continue his best start to a preparation since coming to Australia. He was far from disgraced last start in the Australian Cup and this time last preparation he ran second to Winx beating home Humidor over the same distance as this race. Damien Oliver rides and $14 looks a tremendous each-way price!

6.      Sarrasin – Resuming first-up with Richard Freedman after being previously trained by Chris Waller. Can handle the soft track but this may just be a little too tough for him with little fitness.

7.      The Taj Mahal – This four-year old by Galileo shouldn’t have any issue getting through the ground but query for him is second-up and going the Sydney direction (Ed. - direction not a problem based on runs at Ascot, Chantilly and The Curragh). He has the class but I can’t see him turning this on around against his Australian Cup rivals.

8.      Single Gaze – This mare has been nothing but amazing in all three runs this prep. She is versatile enough to sit on the speed or come from the back and should be super fit leading into this. The only query is whether she could handle a Soft 7 or worse, but if she can there is no reason she won’t be there in the finish once again.

9.      Consensus – The unknown runner of the field. Having been freshened a month before this run, this NZ mare should have no issue getting through the ground over this distance. I just don’t think she will have the class of some of these.

This is how I’ve rated them:
1.       Ventura Storm
2.       Gailo Chop
3.       Prized Icon
4.       Classic Uniform

Betting Strategy:
I’ll be backing Ventura Storm and Prized Icon each-way (Gailo Chop isn’t worth an each-way bet due to being so short). For those wanting to play the exotics, Box Ventura Storm, Gailo Chop and Prized Icon for your quinellas/exactas and play your trifectas with those three in first and second and all of the above in for third.

Good Luck and Good Punting!

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