Top Ranked (IRE) arrived in Australia with impressive form that included a Group III win at Haydock and a third in the Group 1 Lockinge stakes won by the champion Palace Pier (GB), who is standing his first season at Darley Stud.
Purchased by Australian Bloodstock, the son of Dark Angel finished third in the $1million The Hunter at his Australian debut last November and was less than a length and a half from the champion Verry Elleggant when fifth in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick in February.
It was third time a charm for the 6yo grey entire in Saturday’s Group III Bill Ritchie Hcp (1400m) at Randwick.
Given a patient ride by Hugh Bowman, Top Ranked speared between runners to defeat Purple Sector (Pins) by one and a quarter length with Cross Talk (Keano) three-quarter of a length back in third.
Stable representative Kyle Ryan said it was a very easy watch.
“If it was that easy every time it would be beautiful,” Ryan said.
“Hugh (Bowman) summed it up straight away he said, ‘we’ll just let them go, ride our own race, don’t get engaged in anything that we shouldn’t and hopefully the best horse wins the race’.
“There is plenty left in him and that’s very exciting.
“He’s had a couple of niggly things, he is a very big, strong horse. Nothing serious so we’ve been very patient, and our patience has paid off.
“He looked the winner a long way out with those two tearaway leaders, they couldn’t keep that up.”
Top Ranked (IRE) secured a birth in the Group 1 Epsom Hcp but Ryan said Annabel Neasham would make the decision on the grey’s immediate future.
Hugh Bowman said the son of Dark Angel has plenty left in the tank.
“The pace was too good for him. He was first-up for a long time and he’s only had one run in 12 months or more,” Bowman said.
“He’s a horse with excellent European form and he came here with a big boom on him and a lot of confidence behind him and he’s yet to disappoint.
“He sort of went amiss when he ran first-up last preparation but Annabel has been very wise, taken her time with him and let him tell her when he’s ready and it was a lovely starting point for him. Class takes him a long way and I think he’s got a lot of improvement to come.”
A 26,000gns purchase for Rabbah Bloodstock from the Cooneen Stud draft at the 2017 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Top Ranked advances his record to seven one three from 15 starts with earnings of $474,316.
Top Ranked is the only winner from three to race out of the Authorized mare Countess Ferrama. A daughter of the Group II Prix de Royallieu and Group II Doncaster Park Hill Stakes winner Madame Dubois (Legend Of France), Countess Ferrama is a half-sister to Group 1 Irish Two Thousand Guineas winner Indian Heaven (Indian Ridge), Group 1 Milan Gran Criterium winner Count Dubois (Zafonic), and stakes-placed Place de l'Opera (Sadler's Wells), dam of Group II winner Indian Stride, Group III winner High Pitched and Listed winner Zero Tolerance.
