Former Hong Kong sprinter Smart Volatility may be drawn wide for Wednesday’s 2016 Ramornie Handicap in Grafton but his hoop Tye Angland remains confident the horse has the speed to overcome the barrier.
Jockey Tye Angland (pictured aboard Press Statement) is out to overcome the outside alley aboard Smart Volatility in the Ramornie Handicap 2016. Photo: Daniel Costello.
A final field of 16 line-up in this year’s $160,000 Listed Ramornine Handicap (1200m) on Day 1 of the Grafton Cup Carnival and Angland’s mount Smart Volatility is charged with overcoming barrier 16 of 16.
Randwick’s John Sargent now prepares the seven-year-old son of Danewin who has had just the one run down under when finishing under four lengths off fellow Ramornine hopeful Mount Nebo first-up on June 25 in the Winter Dash (1200m).
All 23 of his previous starts were in Hong Kong where he enjoyed six wins.
He hasn’t been first past the post since February of 2014 however so is out to break a notable winning drought on Wednesday afternoon at Grafton Racecourse.
Despite the recent lack of wins, Smart Volatility has been very competitive in top class at Sha Tin over the past year or so including his third in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint Cup (1000m) behind Peniaphobia in January of 2015.
His last run in Hong Kong was a dead last in the Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) last November behind Gold-Fun when ridden by Australian jockey Nash Rawiller.
He was then transferred to the care of Sargent who trialled him twice at Gosford and then Randwick earlier this winter for two winning hit-outs before the first-up run.
Apprentice Andrew Atkins used his claim in the Winter Dash with Smart Volatility carrying 58kg, the horse dropping down to 57.5kg for the Ramornie Handicap with Angland coming aboard for the ride.
Angland remains confident in the sprinter’s gate speed heading into the Ramornie where he hopes to overcome the wide alley and give a better-fancied field of rivals a run for their money.
“Smart Volatility has good form from Hong Kong and I was happy with his first-up run,” Angland told Racenet.
“Gate 19 (into 16) isn’t ideal but he has good gate speed and should overcome that.”
Five of the Ramornie Handicap hopefuls are currently at single-figures for the win through Ladbrokes.com.au including the John O’Shea-trained colt Mogador ($4.80) and Kelso Wood’s Into The Red ($5.50) drawn well in barriers four and two respectively.
Into The Red won the Group 3 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm last start with Mogador a close third in the same lead-up race that the bookies are tipping the form of to stack-up in the Ramornie rematch.
Smart Volatility meanwhile pays $19 in Ramornie Handicap betting to score an upset over a distance he boasts a smart record of five wins, four seconds and two thirds from 19 starts over.
To check out the full Ramornie Handicap 2016 betting odds and offers head to Ladbrokes.com.au today!
