Cup win Ranked as one of the best
OWNER Mario Agius still gets goosebumps when he watches the replay of the 2017 Cairns Amateurs Cup.
The Gold Coast-based owner could not be at Cannon Park that day, instead he was at a prior engagement in New York, but since then, watching the replay is a common occurrence in the Agius household or looking at photos of Wanderson D’Avila and Alwyn Bailey with their trophies.
The 2017 Cup victory will forever be the crowning glory for Ranked in North Queensland, with the team making the difficult decision to call time on the 10-year-old’s career earlier this week.
After running third in the Gordonvale Cup this month, Ranked was set to press on to Saturday’s Innisfail Cup but Agius says the gelding’s old legs have finally had enough.
Ranked, or Rougemont as he was known when racing back in Europe, was purchased by leviathan owner Lloyd Williams for around $750,000 with an eye to the Melbourne Cup back in 2011.
“He was brought in with Green Moon and from what I was told he was a better horse than Green Moon,” Agius said.
“He always had issues with his feet and ran into the running rails a couple of times, he was a different horse after that.
“Lloyd turns his horses over very quickly and he was out.”
Green Moon, of course, went on to win the 2012 Melbourne Cup, ridden by Brett Prebble.
Ranked spent 2015-17 in southeast Queensland but once Agius purchased the bay, a tilt at a northern Cup was always on the cards.
D’Avila and Bailey, with Agius watching on through his phone, lifted the 2017 Cup with a two-length victory late last year.
“He has been an amazing horse for me,” Agius said.
“I do not care if the win comes at Atherton or anywhere, a win is a win, but to win an Amateurs Cup with him is as good as winning a Melbourne Cup for me.
“I still get goosebumps when I watch the replay of the race.
“I would have loved to have been there but I have the photos and videos forever.”
Agius paid tribute to the Bailey family as well as D'Avila for all their efforts with the 10-year-old.
Agius has a number of other horses in the Bailey stable including Rangerzane, among others.