Vale Rangi

I'm terribly sad about this.  I haven't seen the race, as I've been out with the kids this afternoon, and clearly by this I wasn't in Qld at the Doomben 10,000 meeting.  Rangirangdoo (Pentire - She Wishes) broke down fatally in the race 600m after the finishing post, and was put down.

Rangi as he was affectionately known, was a New Zealand bred bay gelding foaled on 5 November 2004.  He won at Group 1 level twice, in the 2010 Doncaster Handicap and 2011 George Ryder Stakes.  He also won the Waterford Crystal Mile (at Moonee Valley), the Tramway Handicap and Expressway Stakes.  He was trained throughout his career by Chris Waller, and it was no secret that he was Chris' favourite horse.  They will be devastated.  Chris had carefully nursed him back to the track from several injuries.  I've not heard what happened.  I'm not sure I want to know.  What a terrible end for a really terrific horse.

Nash Rawiller rode Rangirangdoo to his maiden G1 victory in the 2010 Doncaster Handicap.
 
 
 
 
Chris Waller brought the old warhorse back from injury, 12 months after his Doncaster Handicap victory, and he claimed the G1 George Ryder Stakes at WFA on Golden Slipper day with Corey Brown riding him.  It was an enormously popular win.  The characteristic tongue lolling around was a thing of the past with Chris now using a tongue tied on the old boy.
 

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