Trainers Leon and Troy Corstens believe they have Ranting (NZ) (Zoustar) back to his best ahead of the Gr.2 Tobin Bronze Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
The Group Three winner finished ninth in the Gr.2 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) first-up in February before sustaining an injury when running eighth in the Listed Incognitus Stakes (1100m) at Flemington last month.
Troy Corstens said the New Zealand-bred colt will take plenty of improvement out of his weekend assignment, but he believes they have him in fine fettle after a pleasing trial earlier in the week.
“He is going to take a bit of fitness out of this,” Corstens told RSN927. “He does have improvement in him but he is well and truly back on track and I am really looking forward to seeing how he goes on Saturday.
“He pulled a muscle really badly in his back, down the straight, and he ran terrible (last start). It was the worst run he has put in and we knew there had to be something wrong.
“He trialled really well at the start of the week.”
The Zoustar colt will jump from barrier six with Craig Williams aboard and Corstens said he is at his most lethal when he can find some cover.
“If he can get a little bit of cover that would be ideal,” he said. “He has got an explosive turn of foot when he does settle and relax.
“Sometimes he can over-race a bit and I wouldn’t want to see him doing that on Saturday.”
While Ranting has multiple Group placings, Corstens believes he is an elite-level horse and is eyeing the Gr.1 Goodwood (1200m) with the colt at Morphettville in a fortnight.
“We think he is (a Group One horse), that is the way we are heading with him anyway,” Corstens said. “If we didn’t think he was a Group One horse we probably would have gelded him by now.”
Ranting will head into Saturday with a slight gear change.
“We had the crossover on him and he didn’t really like that so we will just leave the tongue-tie on and that will do him,” Corstens said.
