Rancho Ruler faces quality opposition

Press, 13 August 1988, Page 24

Rancho Ruler faces quality opposition

NZPA-AAP Melbourne The Australian top galloper, Rancho Ruler, will almost shed his bridesmaid tag in big races if he beats the champion sprinter, Placid Ark, and the outstanding mare, Special, in the Group II sAust7s,ooo ($88,327) weight-for-age Chirnside Stakes (1000 m at Caulfield today.

The Mornington trainer, Jim Marconi, has always started Rancho Ruler in top company and the brilliant son of Rancher has not let him down. Rancho Ruler has never run a bad race in any of his 21 starts, which have resulted in four wins, six seconds and six thirds for $Au5t579,300 ($682,241) in prize money. The handsome four-year-old stallion has failed to pick up a cheque only three times. They were his ninth to Marauding in the 1987 Golden Slipper, sixth to Marwong in the 1987 Caulfield Guineas and sixth to Special in the Lightning Stakes (1000 m at Flemington on Febru-

ary 13 this year. However, Marconi would dearly love to win a Group I event with Rancho Ruler. A win in the Group II race against the likes of Placid Ark and Special would be the next best thing. After the Chirnside, Marconi plans to run Rancho Ruler in Group I races during the spring. Rancho Ruler has been freshened up since his gallant second to the outstanding Campaign King in the sAustsoo,ooo ($588,850) Rothmans 100,000 (1350 m at Doomben on April 30, in which he defeated Special for the first time in four meetings with the brilliant mare.

Last year in the Chirnside, Rancho Ruler was fourth behind the top Western Australian mare, Ever Ready, Daring Jon and Special. He finished sixth to Special in the Lightning Stakes and third to her in the Newmarket.

Rancho Ruler has worked very well at Mornington this week.

He will be ridden by Darren Gauci who has won two races on the four-year-old — the Maribyrnong Plate (1000 m at Flemington at his debut on November 1, 1986 and in the Lightning Stakes (1000 m at Eagle Farm on May 21 two starts back.