Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Ranges has been a good money spinner for his connections so far and co-trainer Peter Snowden hopes they can be rewarded with an overdue city win at Canterbury on Wednesday.

Trainer Peter Snowden (Pic: Steve Hart)

The four-year-old has won four races in 21 starts and while he’s yet to show his best in metropolitan company Snowden said his form this preparation, and a recent gear tweak, give him every reason to think he will be very competitive in the China Horse Club Handicap (1200m).

“We’ve brought him to the city a few times and he’s been a bit disappointing,’’ Snowden said.

“He seems to measure up pretty well at the provincials but he certainly gets his chance to do something.

“He gets the right sort of run on the map. I’d like to see him in the first four from there (barrier two).”

Only four of Ranges’ 21 starts have been on metropolitan tracks and his best result is a third at Canterbury back in November, though he was beaten 0.6 lengths in fourth place at Warwick Farm at his fourth race start.

The gelding won second-up at Newcastle then battled into sixth place behind Julian Rock at Canterbury on May 26, and it was that run that prompted Snowden to try a piece of headgear to help him concentrate.

It worked a treat as Ranges went to Muswellbrook, where he broke his maiden status in April last year, to easily win the Eric ‘Shorty’ Cribb Memorial Aberdeen Cup (1280m).

“He had the visor on there which he hasn’t had on in the past,’’ Snowden said.

“The other day at Canterbury he floated everywhere but with the visor on he was a lot more tractable and was quite good towards the end so hopefully it works again.

“Horses like him they always run well, they don’t win often but are always running good races.

“It’s good for the owners, he never runs badly and he’s won two out of four this time in so he’s done a good job.”

Ranges was a $10 chance with TAB on Tuesday.

Insurgence, an $825,000 yearling purchase, is set to make his debut in the Vinery Stud Handicap (1250m) after most of his two-year-old season was interrupted by bouts of shin soreness.

Snowden said the Sebring colt was showing enough promise early to be in line for a Breeders’ Plate debut but it became clear he needed more time and while he’s fronting up for a June debut he’s still a work in progress.

Ranges wins at Muswellbrook on June 6

“He’s been a slow maturing horse, he’s still not there yet but he needs to go to the races,’’ he said.

“He went shin sore a couple of times, even now he’s not the finished product. He’s a well related horse and he’s still doing things wrong in his trials but he’s definitely got the ability.”

The best of Insurgence’s two trials this preparation was his third behind I Am Lethal in a 1045m heat at Randwick on June 8.

“I don’t think the trials have been a good insight into how much ability he has, we’re seeing a lot more at home and he has winkers on him so hopefully that makes him focus up,’’ he said.

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's Canterbury meeting