Doncaster Handicap

Rangirangdoo, trained by Chris Waller, won the illustrious $1.5 million Group 1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse on Saturday, in what was a thrilling finish to a fantastic race.

The richest event to take place at the track annually saw 20 starters form the field, crossing the line in an incredibly close finish.

But it was the five-year-old Pentire gelding who took the honours, and has been on the wrong end of closely contested finishes as of late, this time defeating Road To Rock in the dying legs of the 2010 Doncaster Handicap.

The 2010 Doncaster Handicap triumph gives the gelding his first Group 1 win in a career defining event.

The 2010 Doncaster Handicap triumph gives the gelding his first Group 1 win in a career defining event.

Rangirangdoo spent the majority of the first 1,400 metres just behind the pace, with Nash Rawiller on board who took the gelding to top speed in the last 200 metres, closing down and beating Road To Rock by a neck, who was one-and-a-half lengths ahead of Brilliant Light in third.

The Doncaster Handicap win was one of two Group 1 victories on Saturday for Rawiller; also claiming the Group 1 AJC Oaks (2400m) aboard Gai Waterhouse-trained Once Were Wild.

Going into the 2010 Doncaster Handicap dominating the odds was the Peter Moody-trained Typhoon Tracy who finished 14^th after a disappointing performance in the final straight, and with a virus going though Moody’s barn.

Also taking place on Saturday alongside the 2010 Doncaster Handicap was the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) and the Group 3 South Pacific Classic (1400m).

2010 Doncaster Handicap Results