Written by Richard Edmunds
A fearless move by horse and rider has seen Kubrick (Shooting to Win) take the honours in the inaugural $1 million Bondi S. at Randwick on Saturday.
The Chris Waller-trained colt was ridden by Brenton Avdulla, whose physio only cleared him to take the ride 24 hours out from the race.
“On Wednesday I was down in the dumps, thinking I wouldn’t be able to ride,” Avdulla said. “I saw the physio yesterday. He asked, ‘When are you planning on riding?’ I said, ‘There’s a $1 million race tomorrow.’ He just shook his head and told me to take some time off afterwards. It’s worked out alright.”
Avdulla had a key ride to look forward to, with Kubrick a two-race winner who had finished second in the G1 J. J. Atkins S., fourth in the G2 Run to the Rose and fifth in the G1 Golden Rose. He was unplaced from a wide barrier in the G1 Caulfield Guineas in his most recent start.
Saturday’s Bondi S. was Avdulla’s first ride on Kubrick, and the pair clicked perfectly for a memorable win.
After a smooth run behind Colada (Brazen Beau), Just Thinkin’ (So You Think {NZ}) and Zebrowski (NZ) (Savabeel), Kubrick was travelling sweetly at the top of the straight and poised to pounce.
But they needed room to make their run, and Colada’s jockey Robbie Dolan firmly shut the door on any hope of a gap along the rail.
Kubrick and Brenton returning to scale
Avdulla decided to make room, driving Kubrick through an extremely narrow opening.
With Kubrick’s flank and Avdulla’s foot brushing repeatedly against the rail, and Dolan’s whip flying close by, Kubrick relentlessly forced his way through on the inside of Colada.
Kubrick clawed his way past Colada and went clear, winning by 1l from his fast-finishing stablemate Pancho (Dissident). Colada was another 2l away in third.
Brenton Avdulla, Denise Martin and the winning connections
“It’s amazing what good horses can do,” Avdulla said. “Some people would be really happy with an inside draw, but I was the opposite. I was happy that he’d get an economical run through the early part of the race, but I thought he was in danger of getting stuck behind horses in the straight – and he did.
“All I said to the horse was, ‘Mate, you make some room for me.’ I reckon it was about half a run, and my foot’s on fire from the paint.
“All I said to the horse was, ‘Mate, you make some room for me.’ I reckon it was about half a run, and my foot’s on fire from the paint." - Brenton Avdulla
“But he accelerated really well, like a top-class colt. It’s always nice to ride a winner, and when the race has $1 million next to it, it’s even better.
“This colt had the right form. He wasn’t beaten far in the Golden Rose, then you forgive him last start (Caulfield Guineas) after drawing wide and not having much luck.
“Blinkers were on today, and he’s got a master trainer (Waller) who always gets them spot on.”
Charlie Duckworth
Waller’s assistant Charlie Duckworth was proud of Kubrick and Pancho’s performances.
“Any $1 million race is hard to win,” he said. “We didn’t have the most amount of luck, and at the 300 metres when there was half a gap, we were lucky to have a tough colt like him, who relished the challenge and bustled his way through and showed a nice, clean pair of heels. Everyone can forgive him now for a tough run from an awkward alley in the Caulfield Guineas.
"We were lucky to have a tough colt like him, who relished the challenge and bustled his way through." - Charlie Duckworth
“Pancho had to come around the field to make his own luck, the opposite of what Kubrick had to do. Two nice horses for the stable and it is onwards and upwards from here.”
Kubrick carries the colours of Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds, who have now won three $1 million races this year with Waller-trained runners.
Fiesta (I Am Invincible) won the Inglis Sprint 3YO at Warwick Farm, while Invincibella (I Am Invincible) won the Magic Millions Fillies & Mares on the Gold Coast and later added the $500,000 G1 Tatt’s Tiara.
