Crimson Reign Pulls Upset in Australia

Red Ransom gained his best financial success in the south when Crimson Reign upset white-hot favorite Alinghi in the $1 million (Australian funds) Heroic Championship at Randwick today.

This 1,200 meters listed race is restricted to 2 year-old graduates of sales held by the race's sponsor, William Inglis & Son. A marketing tool for the Australian Easter yearling sale, which starts the following day, also allowed Vinery to showcase Red Ransom.

Based at Dalham Hall this spring, Red Ransom has 15 of his third southern crop listed for the Easter auction. His first dozen to the major sales this year have averaged $99,913, with a median of $85,000 on a $60,000 fee.

The Heroic was meant to be a consolation prize for Alinghi,  third in the $3 million Golden Slipper (Aust-I) on April 3 after racing wide. The talented daughter of Encosta de Lago (by Fairy King) had won the Blue Diamond Stakes (Aust-I) earlier in the fall.

Alinghi was a 1-3 favorite but at the wire the Queensland-trained early co-leader Crimson Reign (10-1) had three-quarters of a length to spare from the filly named for America's Cup holder.

Crimson Reign had finished sixth in the Slipper after collecting the Kindergarten (Aust-III), also chasing home Alinghi when second in the Slipper prep, the Riesling (Aust-II).

The Bruce McLachlan-trained filly is from Crimson Road, a daughter of Strawberry Road, one of Queensland's favorite sons. A $260,000 yearling at Easter last year, she has won almost $780,000 from five starts for a group led by John Cornish of Torryburn Stud.