Cradle Me Scores Upset 2016 Dane Ripper Stakes Result

The odds-on favourite Ghisoni was never in the mix for Saturday’s Dane Ripper Stakes 2016 at Eagle Farm Racecourse, the veteran of the field Cradle Me getting the right run from barrier one to win the Group 2 on Stradbroke Handicap Day.

Cradle Me enjoyed a Group 2 win in the Dane Ripper Stakes 2016 on Stradbroke Handicap Day at Eagle Farm. Photo: Steve Hart.

John O’Shea’s three-year-old Lonhro filly Ghisoni, last start winner of the Group 3 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m) at Doomben a fortnight back, was backed like she was the only runner in this year’s $200,000 Group 2 Bundaberg Run Dane Ripper Stakes (1400m).

Ghisoni was odds-on to win again despite her wide barrier 12 of 13 draw.

She was second last out of the barriers however, jockey James McDonald forced to take her back early where she got caught three wide.

While she gained a little cover, by the top of the straight Ghisoni still had four lengths to make up and she failed to do much in the final stages, unimpressive late in a field without any real stand-out mares.

The David Pfieffer-trained Easy Rocking seven-year-old Cradle Me meanwhile had the exact opposite luck, she and jockey Zac Purton blessed with barrier one getting the big advantage heading into the race.

“We had a lovely gate,” Purton said post-win.

“I rode her last start and she’s only got a short sprint. [The gate] played into our favour.”

Third to Clearly Innocent at Scone in the Listed Luskin Star (1300m) two back, Cradle Me was last seen running second to Ghisoni in the Glenlogan Park Stakes.

Purton settled her into about fifth in running in the Dane Ripper on the rails while eventual last-past-the-post Traveston Girl lead the field around.

Onemorezeta was racing wide in second while the Luke Oliver-trained Jessy Belle settled third on the inside.

In the closing stages Cradle Me ($7.50) tried to get out but went back to the rails and stormed home down the inside to score the lucrative win over the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Artistry ($16) who came through late, with Jessy Belle ($18) finishing off the trifecta in third.

A $300,000 purchase for connections, Cradle Me has now won close to $700,000 and is likely to head to the breeding barn after her Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival campaign.

Her final campaign could continue in a fortnight with a swansong run in Eagle Farm’s Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) where she’ll be out to join Cosmic Endeavour (2014) and Red Tracer (2013) as recent winners of the Dane Ripper – Tatt’s Tiara double.

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2016 Dane Ripper Stake Results & Finishing Order

Eagle Farm Race 3 – 11/06/2016