NZ based stallion Handsome Ransom sired his first winner when No Ransom was successful at Ipswich on Thursday.

No Ransom (3g Handsome Ransom – Qui Richfield by Kenfair) dead-heated with Rainy Knight (Choisir) in the ITC Melbourne Cup Luncheons Maiden (1100m) at his third start.

He was a $45,000 buy at the 2008 NZ Karaka Sale for the McDonald Racing Syndicate and trainer Allan Bailey.  They also race this year’s G3 Grand Prix Stakes winner Saint Minerva.

Handsome Ransom stood his first two seasons at Ashwell Farm in Cambridge before transferring to Wellfield Lodge at Palmerston North in 2007.

A son of Red Ransom, he was a top-class sprinter winning his only two starts as a juvenile in Canberra including the G3 Black Opal Stakes when he defeated Exceed and Excel.

Connections turned down an offer of $2 million for the horse with the Golden Slipper in mind but he was denied the chance to contest the world’s richest juvenile race because of illness.

Handsome Ransom returned at three and was runner-up to subsequent G1 Caulfield Guineas winner In Top Swing in the inaugural Golden Rose.  He also finished third in the G2 Hobartville Stakes behind Impaler and ran fourths in the G2 San Domenico Stakes behind Regimental Gal and G2 Royal Sovereign Stakes behind Exceed and Excel.

Handsome Ransom is out of the Mill Reef mare Bianca Lancia who died in 2006.  She foaled 8 winners and another of her stakes winning progeny was VRC Flemington Rose Stakes (LR) winner Danajaya.  A son of Danehill, he retired to stud in 2000 but was infertile.  He returned to training but was put down after breaking a leg.

Mill Reef is a champion broodmare sire and has a strong influence in the New Zealand stallion ranks as he is also the damsire of Rich Hill stallion Pentire.

Handsome Ransom stands alongside trans-Tasman Group 1 winner Alamosa (O’Reilly) at Wellfield Lodge.  His 2009 service fee is $4,400 (inc gst).