The China Horse Club, Newgate Farm and partners enjoyed stakes success on Wednesday when the Listed $162,000 Ramornie Handicap at Grafton was won by three year-old gelding Calanda, a $200,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling purchase from the Yarraman Park draft.
Prepared by Peter and Paul Snowden, Calanda was a last start winner at Rosehill and had not been far away in other recent runs in stakes company. The only three-year-old in the field, Calanda proved a shade too strong for in-form topweight The Monstar, taking the 1200 metre sprint by a short head.
Queensland hoop Jim Byrne gave the son of Snitzel a dream run, settling sixth on the fence before gaining a split on the turn and the favourite accelerated through the gap before pulling out plenty over the final stages. “Everything opened-up nicely on the inside,” Byrne told Sky Racing. “He drifted away a bit from the winning post but it was a good strong effort.”
Calanda has the overall record of five wins from 11 starts and has banked over $400,000 in prizemoney. “It’s a big thrill,” Paul Snowden said. “He’s a talented horse. “The races in Brisbane didn’t go right for him, he got strung-up at a vital stage and was virtually going to the line well within himself.
“Backed-up with a really handy win the other day at Rosehill and he’s poked through on the inside part of the track today where everyone is trying to get off it and he’s got the job done.” Snowden suggested a short break was likely for Calanda
“We might seek something early in the spring,” Snowden said. “We might have him up and running quite early because he’s in such good order. “It’s a shame to put him out but I think we’ll look after him like we have and we can get some more benefit out of that.”
Purchased by China Horse Club/ Michael Wallace Bloodstock from the Yarraman Park draft, Calanda is a half-brother to Group III winner Speedy Natalie and stakes-placed Silverstream and is the seventh winner from stakes-winner Speedy Bell.
Speedy Bell died last year and her last foal, a yearling colt by I Am Invincible was bought by the Hong Kong Jockey Club at Inglis Easter this year for $320,000.
