Santangelo Makes it Five
06 April 2011
Trainers Steven Ramsay & Julia Ritchie and jockey James McDonald have continued their winning combination today with Santangelo racing away to bring up her fifth career win in style.
Coming right in on the tote to a short priced favourite with the punters, Santangelo (Lonhro x Lucky be Lucky) looked to be in deep trouble at the point-of-the-turn, stuck behind a wall of horses, but the cool head of jockey James McDonald prevailed, electing for an inside run.
The move proved the winning of the race for the five-year-old mare and, once given racing room, the daughter of Lonhro kicked away well in the straight to post a two-and-a-quarter length win over her opposition.
The win was Santangelo’s fifth from 23 race day appearances, and took her stakes earnings to over $80,000.
From a strong family, Santangelo is from the USA bred mare by Storm Cat in Lucky be Lucky, a half-sister to the Group 1 winner Love Rock (Silver Ghost), dam of the stakes winner Love Rocket (Thunder Gulch) and Group 3 placed Float Heart (Giant’s Causeway).
Lucky be Lucky was not covered in 2009 and is currently in foal to Darci Brahma.
Unlucky in the last on the card at Taranaki, Vandenne (Van Nistelrooy x Loudenne) and James McDonald were run down in the final strides, but it was a promising performance from the filly in only her third start.
All eyes now turn to Saturday’s Group 1 race, the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes where Banchee and the hugely promising Guiseppina will be lining up.