DERBY COUNTDOWN: RAPID RANGER
CONTINUING AS PROMISED WITH MY TOP 5 MOST MEMORABLE DERBY WINNERS HERES A BRIEF LOOK AT THE ULTRA CONSISTANT RAPID RANGER, OWNED BY RAY WHITE AND TRAINED BY THE MAESTRO CHARLIE LISTER.
A FLYING EARLY PACED BRINDLE, THIS SON OF COME ON RANGER WON BACK TO BACK ENGLISH DERBYS IN 2000 AND 2001. HE WON FOUR ROUNDS OF THE MILLENIUM EVENT INCLUDING THE FINAL FROM TRAP 2 (ABOVE) BEATING RACKETHALL JET IN 28.71. HE WAS SOLID THROUGHOUT BEATING DOGS LIKE FARLOE CLUB, DEERFIELD SUNSET AND JUDICIAL PRIDE.
RANGER THEN WENT TO THE IRISH DERBY WHERE HE WON TWO HEATS BUT FINISHED A GALANT 2ND IN THE FINAL, BEATEN ONE AND A HALF LENGTHS BY JUDICIAL PRIDE.
IMPECCABLY HANDLED BY CHARLIE LISTER RANGER, DESPITE THE ODD INJURY INBETWEEN RANGER TURNED UP AT THE 2001 DERBY IN AS GOOD A FORM AS EVER AGAIN WINNING FOUR ROUNDS, LEADING ALL THE WAY IN THE FINAL TO BEAT THE SUPER FAST SONIC FLIGHT BY THREE AND A QUARTER LENGTHS. THE WINNING TIME QUITE AMAZINGLY WAS 28.71 ...... EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS YEAR !! WELL I DID SAY HE WAS ULTRA CONSISTANT !!
