Nine horses will step out in Saturday’s Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens, but early betting suggests that Gailo Chop will add a third win at the highest level to his record. Gailo Chop has been a strong and consistent performer since debuting in 2013, but the seven-year-old appears to have found career-best form this time in and has opened the $1.75 favourite to win the Ranvet Stakes, or $2.10 in our lucrative Fat Odds market. The Deportivo gelding announced himself to the Australian racing community when he led all the way to win the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) while under the care of Alain De Watrigant in 2015, but he has stepped up in ability since transferring to master trainer Darren Weir’s stables. Winning the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) most notably in 2017, Gailo Chop posted strong wins in each of the Group 3 Carlyon Cup (1600m) and Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) upon resuming this time, before running a strong second behind Harlem in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) a fortnight ago. Mark Zahra won’t have a problem in taking up the running from barrier 4 and Gailo Chop will be extremely difficult to run down in the late stages of the Ranvet Stakes. Harlem posted his first win at the highest level in the Australian Cup, but he is yet to attract any attention in Ranvet Stakes betting and could be over the odds at his current $14 quote. Plenty of hype followed the son of Champs Elysees throughout his debut campaign in Australia and while he flew home to win the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) in spring, largely failed to live up to his billing. Gelded after finishing towards the tail of the field in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (2000m) in November, Harlem resumed this time for a smart second behind Gailo Chop in the Carlyon Cup, but was flat when he beat only one runner home in the Peter Young Stakes. Michael Walker will attempt to emulate the gem of a ride that led to the horse winning the Australian Cup and can take a position behind the pace from gate 6. Interestingly, only one runner further to Gailo Chop is currently available at Ranvet Stakes odds of less-than $10 and Single Gaze ($9) looms as a live threat in the feature. A Group 1 winner at the distance having taken out the 2016 edition of the Vinery Stud Stakes, Single Gaze found outstanding form through the recent Spring Carnival and finished second behind Boom Time in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) most notably. The daughter of Not A Single Doubt hugged the rails in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) first-up this time and flew home to finish a close second behind Hartnell, before repeating that performance and result in the Peter Young Stakes. Last seen finishing a credible fifth in the Australian Cup, Single Gaze will have plenty of options from the rails draw and will carry only 57kgs as one of two mares in the Ranvet Stakes. The Taj Mahal ($10) weakened in the final stages of the Australian Cup to finish eighth, but he will take plenty of natural improvement into this race and has the class to return to winning form. The son of Galileo only beat one horse home in the Caulfield Stakes upon arriving in Australia in October, but worked home well to finish fourth in the Emirates Stakes before easily winning the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m). Prized Icon ($10), Ventura Storm ($14) and Classic Uniform ($14) can all find their way into the money in the Ranvet Stakes.
