Top Ranked (IRL) and Ellsberg crossed the line locked together in the $1,500,000 Epsom Hacp (1600m) at Randwick, and after an interminable wait, the judge could not separate them.
Hugh Bowman on the Annabel Neasham-trained Top Ranked (IRE) and Brenton Avdulla on the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Ellsburg circled around waiting for the decision, and both camps seemed happy to share the prize.
Carrying the colours of Australian Bloodstock. Top Ranked (IRE) is an imported son of Dark Angel. Ellsburg credits his deceased sire Spill The Beans with his first Group 1 winner.
Hinged (Worthy Cause) was a further half length back in third after being squeezed between the winning pair close to home.
A 26,000gns purchase for Rabbah Bloodstock from the Cooneen Stud draft at the 2017 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Top Ranked advances his record to seven one three from 15 starts with earnings of $474,316.
“I walked onto the track and I just wanted to see how the horse has pulled up. I actually didn't think we’d got it,” Neasham conceded.
“Unbelievable horse. Second up just two weeks from a run off a long layoff. The question is whether they give him a spot in the Cox Plate, but they have to after that. He’s a Group One horse.
“We always thought he was going to be a really good horse here in Australia. It is great to win it for Australian Bloodstock. To win the Epsom for them is just so special.”
Top Ranked (IRE) is the only winner from three to race out of the Authorized mare Countess Ferrama. A daughter of the Group II Prix de Royallieu and Group II Doncaster Park Hill Stakes winner Madame Dubois (Legend Of France), Countess Ferrama is a half-sister to Group 1 Irish Two Thousand Guineas winner Indian Heaven (Indian Ridge), Group 1 Milan Gran Criterium winner Count Dubois (Zafonic), and stakes-placed Place de l'Opera (Sadler's Wells), dam of Group II winner Indian Stride, Group III winner High Pitched and Listed winner Zero Tolerance.
Top Ranked is the 13th Group I winner for Dark Angel, whp stadns at Yeomanstown Stud in Ireland at a fee of €60,000.
With his fourth stakes win, Ellsberg advances his record to seven wins, six seconds, and four thirds from 22 starts with earnings of $1,833,600.
“It’s better than the other way,” Ryan said.
“We only decided to run at ten to nine on Wednesday morning.
“It’s good when you buy the horse as a yearling and bring him along. We’ve been desperate to win a Group One with him, but I had basically given up hope. We’d been here three times at the mile, and we had been found wanting, but he stuck his head out today.
“He’s so honest. I think it’s just three times that he has been out of the first four. I wish I had more of them.”
“It’s our first Group One together (with co-trainer Sterling Alexiou). We had Ellsberg’s father, we bought him as a yearling.
“We bought this horse as a yearling. We paid a lot of money for him, there are good blokes in the horse with us, a great syndicate.”
Bred by Hillside Downs, Ellsberg is a two-time veteran of the sales ring. Pinhooked by Segenhoe Stud for $50,000 out of the Kitchwin
Hills draft at the 2018 National Weanling Sale, Ellsberg was bought by Gerald Ryan Racing for $280,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the most expensive yearling by Aquis Stud’s short-lived son of Snitzel and is the only winner from three to race out of the winning General Nediym mare Lady Liberty, who Aquis Farm sold for $8,500 Inglis 2020 June (Early) Online Sale.
Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/Gerald Ryan Racing went to $160,000 to secure a full-brother to Ellsberg out of the KBL Thoroughbreds draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Myrtle House/Edward Cummings went to $50,000 to secure Love Of Liberty’s Divine Prophet filly at the Magic Millions in January, and she has been entered for the Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale.
After delivering a Shamus Award colt last spring, Love Of Liberty revisited the Rosemont Stud stallion again but missed.
