Surprise city win for Rhinoceros

[Wandering Eyes]

Emma-Lee and David Browne planned to use Saturday’s A$130,000 Robert Taranto Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield as a lead-up to a country cup for Rhinoceros (NZ) (Vadamos), but the New Zealand-bred gelding had other ideas and rattled home for a $31 upset win.

The six-year-old headed into Saturday’s race with a strong run of form away from the bright lights of metropolitan racing. He had won the Dunkeld Cup (1800m) in November and the Colac Cup (2000m) in February, followed by a fourth in the Echuca Cup (1400m) and a last-start second in the Bairnsdale Cup (1600m).

The Brownes had the A$50,000 Warracknabeal Cup (1600m) on April 19 circled in their diary, but Rhinoceros caught them by surprise with a city win that will likely weight him out of that country feature.

“I love this horse so much,” Emma-Lee Browne said. “I might have to get a rhino tattoo now. He’s a gem. He just keeps giving. He’s been up for a long time and I keep wondering when he’s going to want to go out, but he’s just loving his life and is an absolute marvel.

“This was originally meant to just be a run along the way to the Warracknabeal Cup. We might have stuffed that up now.

“This is my oldest daughter Chloe’s favourite horse. She’s hired a boat tonight for her 19^th birthday, so I think the boat might be going off tonight.”

Rhinoceros was ridden by Dean Yendall, who tucked him into fourth along the rail as Red Phantom (Estidhkaar) led the field up to the home turn.

A gap opened between the two leaders around the home turn and Yendall drove Rhinoceros through it, drawing up alongside Red Phantom. That runner fought back, but Rhinoceros wore him down to win by a length.

“You’d probably need a wheelbarrow to put all the weight in the saddle for the Warracknabeal Cup now,” Yendall said. “He even carried a bit of weight today with 59kg. He began cleanly and had no issues getting across. He settled beautifully behind the leaders.

“I got dragged into the race nicely. He flowed into it and came through the middle. When I asked for a real good effort, he obliged and attacked the line really strongly.”

Rhinoceros has now had 45 starts for 10 wins, seven placings and A$522,252 in stakes for his breeder Andrew Fowler, who shares ownership with Sparta Racing.

Rhinoceros is by Vadamos out of the Lonhro mare Hot In Pink (NZ), who herself won two races over 1000m and 1200m. All of Hot In Pink’s three foals to race have been winners, including the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1200m) placegetter Crickets Chirping (NZ) (Belardo).

Hot In Pink is a half-sister to the multiple Group Three winner and Group One-placed Melt (NZ) (Iffraaj), along with Elephant (NZ) (Shocking), a six-time winner for the Brownes including the Gr.3 Sandown Stakes (1500m).

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