Ramonti

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Ramonti
(2007)

Ramonti (28 March 2002 – 16 July 2019) is a retired French-bred

Saeed Bin Suroor. For his new connections Ramonti won three of Britain's most important mile races in 2007, before winning the ten furlong Hong Kong Cup
. At the end of the season he was one of the highest-ranked racehorses in the world over one mile. Ramonti was retired to stud after a single unsuccessful start in 2008.

Background

Ramonti is a dark-coated bay horse with a small white star standing 16.2½ hands high.[1] He was bred in France by Emilio Balzarini's Scuderia Siba, a breeding organisation based near Brescia in Italy,[2] and originally raced in the colours of Balzarini's Scuderia Antezzate. Ramonti was sent into training with the brothers Giuseppe and Alduino Botti and was ridden in his early career by Giuseppe's son Endo.[3] During the most successful period of his career, Ramonti raced with a tongue-tie.[4]

Ramonti's sire, Martino Alonso, won six races and finished placed in the Premio Roma and the Premio Vittorio di Capua before retiring to stand at the Siba stud. In his first season at stud, he attracted little interest, and sired only nineteen foals, including Ramonti. After Ramonti's success made Martino Alonso a more popular stallion he was kidnapped in November 2009 and recovered by police six months later. He died following a paddock accident on 18 March 2012.[5] Ramonti's dam, Fosca was an American-bred daughter of El Gran Senor and a direct descendant of the Fillies Triple Crown winner Meld.

Racing career

2005: three-year-old season

Ramonti was unraced as a two-year-old and began his career by winning a 1400

2000 Guineas. Ridden by Edmondo Botti, he took the lead 200m from the finish and drew clear to win "comfortably"[6]
by two lengths from Le Giare.

Ramonti was then moved up in class and distance for the Group One

1/2 against fourteen opponents. Botti sent Ramonti to the front from the start and he continued to lead into the straight. In the last 200m however, he appeared to tire and was caught in the closing stages and beaten a head by De Sica.[7]
Ramonti did not run again that season.

2006: four-year-old season

In April 2006, Ramonti made his first appearance for more than ten months when he won a minor stakes race over 1600m at San Siro. In May he finished second in a Listed race at the Capannelle and then won a similar event in Milan by five lengths, suggesting that he was returning to his best form. In June Ramonti returned to Group class to win the

Returning to Italy, Ramonti was surprisingly beaten at odds of 1/4 in a Listed race in Milan and then contested the Group One

Saeed Bin Suroor, spending the winters in Dubai and the rest of the year based at Newmarket in England.[11]

2007: five-year-old season

Ramonti's first start for his new connections came in the Group One Lockinge Stakes over one mile at Newbury on 19 May. Before the race Saeed Bin Suroor had expressed his satisfaction with Ramonti, describing him as a "nice and honest" horse.[12] Ridden for the first time by Frankie Dettori he was restrained in the early stages and raced just behind the leaders until making his challenge a furlong from the end of the race. In a closely contested finish, he failed by a head to catch the four-year-old filly Red Evie.

A month later, Ramonti appeared at

Royal Ascot where he contested the Queen Anne Stakes on the first day of the meeting. On this occasion, Dettori allowed the horse to make the running and he held the lead into the straight. Two furlongs from the finish he was headed by the Michael Stoute-trained Jeremy, but rallied "gamely"[13] in the closing stages to regain the lead and win by a short head. The previous year's leading three-year-old George Washington finished fourth, with Red Evie in seventh. After the race Godolphin's spokesman Simon Crisford admitted that the team were surprised by Ramonti's performance, saying that "we didn't anticipate he'd be winning this - we thought he would be a horse who we would campaign abroad."[14] Dettori was subsequently disciplined by the Jockey Club stewards for excessive use of the whip on the winner. On 1 August Ramonti and Jeremy were matched against each other again in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Ramonti raced in fifth place before moving forward to take the lead two furlongs from the finish. He quickly opened up a clear lead[15] and stayed on strongly to hold the late challenge[16] of the favourite Excellent Art by a head, with Jeremy third and Asiatic Boy
in fourth.

Ramonti and Frankie Dettori return after winning the Hong Kong Cup

In September, Ramonti was sent to France for the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp. He led 400m from the finish but was overtaken and beaten two lengths by the three-year-old filly Darjina. Three weeks later, Ramonti ran in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot and started at odd of 5/1 in a field which included Excellent Art, Darjina and Duke of Marmalade. Ramonti tracked the leaders in until moving into the lead in the straight. He went two lengths clear and was driven out by Dettori to win by half a length from Excellent Art.[17] On his final appearance of the year, he traveled to Hong Kong to run in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup over ten furlongs, the longest distance he had attempted since his defeat in the Derby Italiano two and a half years earlier. In the Cup he was pitted against the leading local runners Viva Pataca, who started odds on favourite, and Vengeance of Rain.[18] He raced in third before taking the lead in the straight and held the late challenge of Viva Pataca to win by half a length.[19] Mick Kinane on the runner-up was unable to obtain a clear run and lodged a formal objection to the winner, but the racecourse stewards allowed Ramonti to keep the race after an inquiry. Dettori called Ramonti "probably one of the bravest horses I've ever ridden."[20]

Ramonti remained in training as a six-year-old, but a leg infection[21] delayed his preparation and he missed the first half of the season. In July he reappeared in the Group Two Summer Mile at Ascot in which he finished a disappointing[22] fifth to Archipenko. A recurrence of his leg problems[23] ruled him out for the rest of the season and he was retired to stud.

Assessment

Timeform described Ramonti as "most genuine and consistent", and awarded him a rating of 126.[24]

In the 2006 edition of the

World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, Ramonti was given a rating of 116, the highest for any Italian-trained horse that year, placing him just outside the world's top one hundred racehorses.[25] A year later, he was rated on 123, placing him equal thirteenth in the world ratings, level with Rags to Riches and Notnowcato. He was the third highest-rated horse over one mile on turf, behind Manduro and Admire Moon.[26]

In the 2007

Cartier Racing Awards, Ramonti was nominated for the titles of Best Older Horse and Horse of the Year, but lost out in both categories to Dylan Thomas.[27] The awards were made in mid-November, meaning that Ramonti's win in Hong Kong was not taken into consideration.[28]

Stud record

Entered Stud in 2009 at Darley's Kildangan Stud[29] in County Kildare, Ireland At Stud in 2010-17 Allevamento di Besnate near Mornago in Italy. At Stud in 2018-19 at SK Moszna in Poland. He died on 16 July 2019.


Pedigree

Pedigree of Ramonti (FRA), bay horse, 2002
Sire
Martino Alonso (IRE)
1994
Marju
1988
Last Tycoon Try My Best
Mill Princess
Flame of Tara Artaius
Welsh Flame
Cheerful Note
1987
Cure the Blues Stop The Music
Quick Cure
Strident Note The Minstrel
Furioso
Dam
Fosca (USA)
1995
El Gran Senor
1981
Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
Sex Appeal Buckpasser
Best In Show
La Locandiera
1986
Alleged Hoist The Flag
Princess Pout
Moon Ingraver Kalamoun
Engraving (Family: 2-i)[30]

References

  1. ^ "Ramonti" (PDF). Allevamento Besnate. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-01. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  2. ^ "Scuderia Siba". Scuderiasiba.it. Archived from the original on 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  3. ^ a b "Italian star Ramonti back to best to floor Caradak". Racing Post & Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  4. ^ "Video". Hkjc.com. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  5. ^ "Martino Alonso sire of Ramonti dead". Racing Post. 2012-03-18. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  6. ^ "Premio Parioli". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  7. ^ "Derby Italiano". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  8. ^ "Prix Jacques le Marois". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  9. ^ "Premio Vittorio di Capua". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  10. ^ "The Duke's a King over the Hong Kong Mile". Thoroughbrednews.com.au. 2006-12-10. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  11. ^ "RAMONTI to Godolphin". Thoroughbredinternet.com. 2007-01-02. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  12. ^ "GODOLPHIN PLEASED WITH ITALIAN RECRUIT". Sporting Life. 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2012-04-06.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "Queen Annes Stakes". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  14. ^ "RAMONTI EDGES QUEEN ANNE VERDICT". Sporting Life. 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2012-04-06.[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ "Sussex Stakes". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  16. ^ "Ramonti holds on to land Sussex". Rte.ie. 2007-08-01. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  17. ^ "Queen Elizabeth II Stakes". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  18. ^ "Hong Kong powerhouses take on Ramonti in Cup". Thoroughbred Times. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  19. ^ "Hong Kong Cup". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  20. ^ correspondents in Hong Kong (2007-12-09). "Ramonti powers to glory". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  21. ^ "Ramonti Misses Duty Free". Godolphin. 2008-03-24. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  22. ^ Geoffrey Riddle (2010-05-25). "Ramonti runs out of form -". The National (Abu Dhabi). Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  23. ^ "Ramonti (Fr)". Godolphin. 2007-06-20. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  24. ^ "Horse - Godolphin". Timeform.com. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  25. ^ "The 2006 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings". Ifhaonline.org. 2006-12-31. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  26. ^ "The 2007 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings". Ifhaonline.org. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  27. ^ Mike Torpey (2007-11-17). "On the Rails". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  28. ^ Horse Racing. "Ramonti in contention". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  29. ^ "Meet the new boys at Kildangan Stud". Darley.co.uk. 2008-11-10. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  30. ^ "Crucifix - Family 2-i". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-04-04.