Ridge Ranger a pattern-winning half-sister to Profitable

RIDGE RANGER (IRE) - 2011 bay mare

Former Tally-Ho Stud stallion Bushranger (by Danetime) was exported to Turkey last year following a disappointing phase of his stallion career. Hugely popular when he retired from the track, the dual Group 1-winning grandson of Danehill (by Northern Dancer) was an initial hit in the sales ring. But when stakes winners failed to materialise, the inevitable happened.

Almost as inevitable is that a disappointing stallion's best results will emerge after he is no longer available, either due to death or export, and in 2016 Bushranger has been having a breakthrough year.

Mobsta won the Listed Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster in early April, added the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh just over a month later, and he holds entries in both the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York and the Group 1 Haydock Park Sprint Cup.

Ross Castle won the Group 3 Prix Texanita over five and a half furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte in mid-May, and Now Or Never, who was an impressive mile Group 3 scorer at Leopardstown a few days before, has since been third in the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh and fourth (no blacktype) in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Ascot. She holds an entry in the Group 1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes.

Outback Traveller moved up to a career-best mark of 109 after his narrow defeat of subsequent pattern scorer Brando in the Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap) at Ascot last month, and although disappointing at York last week, he holds an entry in the Group 2 Qatar King George Stakes and also in the Qatar Stewards' Cup.

The Bushranger revival also features Ridge Ranger, and Con Harrington's homebred mare, who is trained by Eric Alston, won the Group 3 188Bet Summer Stakes over six furlongs at York last Friday. Previously a pattern-placed stakes winner who was short-headed in last year's Group 3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy over the minimum trip at Newbury, the five-year-old is now on a career-best mark of 110.

She too holds an entry in the Qatar Stewards' Cup, although with a pattern success now to her name, one would imagine that she might stick to that level, or even step up in grade.

Ridge Ranger is a very valuable prospective broodmare, and not just because she is a pattern-winner for the mighty Danehill sire line. She is out of the six-furlong winner Dani Ridge (by Indian Ridge) and, in addition to the Group 3-placed pair Danidh Dubai (by Noverre) and Full Mandate (by Acclamation), she is a half-sister to current sprint star and future Darley stallion Profitable (by Invincible Spirit).

Harrington also bred that Clive Cox-trained four-year-old. Last year he won a listed contest at York and finished fifth in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, but this year he has made considerable progress. He sprang a 20/1 surprise in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket on his seasonal reappearance, followed-up with a neck defeat of Mecca's Angel in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock, and the added the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes at Ascot.

He finished fourth behind Limato in the Group 1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday, his first attempt at six furlongs, and, as you might expect, his entries include the Group 2 Qatar King George Stakes at Goodwood, the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (British Champions Series) at York and the Group 1 Haydock Park Sprint Cup.

Daniella Drive (by Shelter Half), the grandam of Ridge Ranger, won a dozen of her 60 starts in the USA, and her Group 3 Diomed Stakes winner Blomberg is a full-brother to Dani Ridge. She was the better of two multiple winners out of De Laroche (by Noble Decree), a Canadian-bred mare that failed to win in 11 starts but had several prolific siblings.

Wave To Dave (by Wavering Monarch) won six times, Jrs Lucky Lady (by Sensitive Prince) won 13, High Mesa (by Relaunch) reached a total of 15, and Manitoba Derby third Deemed Dividend (by Tentam) notched up 22 wins and 38 places from an impressive 119 starts. Their siblings also include Bold Flair (by Bold Reason), who was unraced but did her part for the family by producing 10-times scorer Choke Dado (by Full Choke).

Winning is something that this family does a lot, and that augurs well for the eventual broodmare career of Ridge Ranger.

Her siblings also include the five-times scorer Invincible Ridge (by Invincible Spirit) and that one's multiple-winning full-brother Ridge Wood Dani, and her three-year-old half-brother Acclaim The Nation (by Acclamation), who is also trained by Alston, was runner-up over five furlongs at Newcastle on his debut in May before opening his winning account over the same trip at Beverley 13 days ago. Dani Ridge had a full-brother to that gelding last year, and a Mastercraftsman (by Danehill Dancer) filly in 2014, who was bought back for 110,000gns at Newmarket in October.