News

Ranch Hand, Mars Mission among early Digital Sale entries

1st Jun 2022

Exciting 3YO colts Ranch Hand (Fastnet Rock) and Mars Mission (Deep Field) are among the early confirmed entries in the upcoming Inglis Digital June (Early) Online Auction.

Trained by Chris Waller, Ranch Hand is a last start 2L winner at Eagle Farm who has contested Stakes races at 12 of his 15 career starts while Mars Mission is a lightly-raced winner of two of his six starts – at Warwick Farm and Moonee Valley.

Ranch Hand is a Stakes winner, is twice Group placed and arguably two of his best performances were running 4th in Home Affairs’ G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and 5th a week later behind Nature Strip in the G1 VRC Sprint Classic.

A debut winner at 2, Ranch Hand finished 5th behind Shaquero at just his third career start in the $2m Magic Millions Classic on the Gold Coast.

Months later as a Spring 3YO he resumed with victory in the Listed Poseidon Stakes at Flemington - defeating the likes of Ingratiating, Finance Tycoon etc - while as an Autumn 3YO he finished 0.5L 2nd to Paulele in the G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes, beating home G1 winners Captivant and Converge as well as the likes of Hilal, Giannis etc.

Ranch Hand (pictured), already a winner of $464,350, will be offered by Chris Waller Racing on behalf of his ownership group which includes Coolmore and partners.

“Ranch Hand has proven himself at both two and three to be among the top gallopers of his crop and he represents a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking to race a top-class horse domestically or overseas,” Coolmore’s Racing Manager Rob Archibald said.

“He’s a perfect $7.5m Golden Eagle horse in the Spring, he’s got natural gate speed and profile the says he can improve further as an older horse.

“While he no longer fits our racing model, he’s a rare offering and one I have no doubt will prove popular over the next week.’’

Coolmore and partners will also offer the fellow Waller-trained 3YO Naval Seal (Snitzel) in the June (Early) Sale.

The first foal of G1 winner and five-time Winx conqueror First Seal, Naval Seal is a winner and three-time placed gelding and was a last start third over 1600m at Caulfield.

Mars Mission, trained by Team Hawkes and raced by Alan Bell and partners, is another early standout entry.

Mars Mission won consecutive metropolitan races by a combined 5.1L earlier this year and has little luck since.

“He looked very talented winning those two in a row in Sydney and then Melbourne, you just have to forget his Caulfield run and then anybody who can read racing would see he had no chance at the Valley with the run he had and then in the Bendigo Guineas he had another torrid ride when four deep the trip,’’ Bell said.

“He was an $800,000 yearling and was as good a type as you’d see. He has a lot of upside, he’s only lightly raced and he’s a fantastic opportunity for both the domestic market and the Hong Kong market.

“Deep Field progeny have already won HK$50million this year - he’s a clear leader as the premier sire in Hong Kong and has already had over 20 career winners up there, including G1 winner Sky Field.

“Mars Mission is Hong Kong qualified, Hong Kong vetted and I think he’s a great Hong Kong option especially.’’

Entries for the Inglis Digital June (Early) Sale close at midnight tonight, with the sale to go live for bidding on Friday.

To enter, CLICK HERE.