Troy Corstens finds himself in a rare but coveted position with the stable having two runners in winning form going into the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington.
Corstens said he was pinching himself that he had two live chances, Ranting and Swats That, in Saturday’s $1.5 million Coolmore Stud Stakes, which has evolved into the number one sprint for three-year-olds in Australia.
Ranting was a last-start winner of the Group Three Blue Sapphire Stakes in which he defeated Hanseatic and Anders.
Filly Swats That has won her past two starts at Group Three level against her own sex having been successful in the Champagne Stakes at Moonee Valley and the Thoroughbred Club Stakes at Caulfield.
Corstens said he found it hard to split his pair.
“I think Swats has a little bit more race smarts than Ranting,” Corstens said.
“Ranting can still do a little bit wrong. You saw in the Blue Sapphire that he pulled extremely hard. He’s not going to be able to do that on Saturday in the grand final against this opposition.”
He said the key to Ranting was to get him to switch off so he could use his explosive finish, while Swats That was a push-button filly.
Corstens said he was pleased with how Ranting had come through his gut-busting win in the three-horse Blue Sapphire Stakes.
“I was actually surprised how well he came through that. We’re very pleased with the way that he’s done and I think we’re on track for Saturday,” he said.
Corstens was happy with Ranting’s work on Tuesday at Breakfast with the Stars at Flemington, saying he wasn’t asked to do much, running home his last 400m in 23.6 seconds.
Corstens said Swats That took part in a trial at Flemington last Thursday morning and broke 33 seconds for her final 600m with her head on her chest.
The Leon and Troy Corstens stable will also have three-year-old filly Succeed Indeed in the Wakeful Stakes, which is her final lead-in run to the VRC Oaks.
Succeed Indeed disappointed at her last start when she finished sixth in the Ethereal Stakes.
Corstens said they worked out Succeed Indeed hung badly from the 1000 metre mark and they subsequently discovered she had got her tongue over the bit.
She will wear a tongue tie on Saturday and Corstens expects her to return to her best form.
