TBWA News reported last week there was a black-type feel about Rangeview Stud related runners at Ascot and Caulfield on Saturday and that’s how it played out when Big Red Zoom won the LR Max Simmonds Stakes (1000m) and Jigsaw the G2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m).
Big Red Zoom (Long Leaf) was foaled down and reared at Rangeview for clients Peter and Carol Gurney and was specked at $13 to defeat a crackajack field at Ascot. Jigsaw is by Rangeview sire Manhattan Rain and he scored as expected as a front-running $2.25 favourite at Caulfield.
Trainer Mitch Pateman was caught up in the moment as his partner Holly Watson returned to scale after Big Red Zoom held out Afireofgidgeecoals (Too Darn Hot) and Boy Crush (Manhattan Rain) in a pulsating finish to the Max Simmonds Stakes.
“Holly had been pretty crook all week but she gave him a beautiful ride. They stalked the leader before coming off heels and was good enough to hang on although Afireofgidgeecoals gave me a fright at the finish.
“Big Red Zoom (Photo / Western Racepix) won a Bunbury maiden first-up in August and I told Pete I didn’t know whether we would be setting him for the Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) or the WA Guineas (1600m).
“If anyone deserves success it’s them. It means so much to me to win a race, let alone a big one, for Pete and Carol. They’ve gone through hell after losing their eldest daughter Stacey to cancer.
“We will head to the (LR) Belgravia Stakes (1200m) in a fortnight and that will give us an idea whether stay in sprints or stretch to a mile.”
Big Red Zoom is the first black-type winner by former Rangeview stallion Long Leaf and his dam Sister Zoe (My Admiration) wasn’t even broken-in before retiring to stud. She also foaled his older full-sister Ourgirlcanrun and she is named for Stacey who was a mother of three and a former WA champion junior athlete.
Jigsaw (Photo / Reg Ryan) was resuming from a spell in the G2 Schillaci Stakes following an unprecedented winning streak for Cranbourne owner-trainer Cindy Alderson last season. The first of those seven wins was on home turf in the $100,000 Apache Cat Classic (1200m) last October and it climaxed in a blaze of glory going all the way in The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot in April.
“It’s been an amazing ride and I keep pinching myself,” Alderson said after welcoming the 8yo veteran back to scale. “He loves racing and he loves going fast. He’s sound and well and now we will look at options down the Flemington straight at the Melbourne Cup Carnival.”
Regular rider Logan Bates has built an amazing record on Jigsaw who improved his career stats to 17 wins in 41 starts while sending his earnings through $5 million. “He’s one of a kind and is a very special horse. He jumped well, raced beautifully and put the race to bed straightaway when I pushed the button.
“It took me a while to pull him up because he did it that easy. Credit to Cindy. She has handled this horse so well, placed him to perfection and has backed me all the way.”
Manhattan Rain (Encosta de Lago) is a half-brother to Redoute’s Choice and stands for a $6,600 (inc GST) fee with Rangeview owners Rob and Jody Gray.
