Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Written by Paul Vettise
The well-related Kiku (Zoustar) upstaged a number of her better-performed male age group rivals when she overcame a wide run at the back of the field before storming to victory in the G3 Carbine Club S.
The Chris Waller-trained filly earned her berth in the Fujitsu General-sponsored 3-year-old feature with consecutive wins in midweek company and she handled the rise in class with aplomb.
Rider Tommy Berry was forced to settle Kiku at the back of the field from the outside barrier, but when he asked her for a serious effort in the straight she powered home to indicate bigger prizes await her.
“She’s a decent filly obviously, and it was good to see her win like that. She went back and sat wide and Tommy didn’t panic,” Waller said.
“She showed a great turn of foot at the 300 metre mark and that was the winning of the race.”
“She (Kiku) showed a great turn of foot at the 300 metre mark and that was the winning of the race.” – Chris Waller
Kiku quickly hit top gear when Berry asked her for a serious home-stretch effort and she powered home to beat the favourite The Irishman (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) with Poland (So You Think {NZ}) running on generously for third.
“It was a massive effort and I had cover for parts of the race, but she was three wide. I loved the way she put them away so easily and switched off when she got there,” Berry said.
Kiku was offered at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Amarina Farm and purchased for $300,000 by Star Thoroughbreds.
She is a sister to the G1 Newmarket H. and multiple Group 2 winner Zoutori with their dam the unraced Atotori (Haradasun), a half-sister to the G3 Kenilworth Winter Guineas winner Castlethorpe (Not A Single Doubt).
Farewell performance
Runner-up The Irishman had every chance in his final appearance for trainer Mark Newnham, whose disappointment at losing the colt is tempered by the return of an old stable favourite.
“This was his grand final and he’s off to Hong Kong and I’ll swap him for Shadow Hero, so that’s good news,” he said.
Shadow Hero (Pierro) won the G1 Spring Champion S. and G1 Randwick Guineas for Newnham before relocating to David Hayes’ Hong Kong stable, but failed to show his best in five appearances.
“Hopefully, we can get him back into the system and he finds his old form,” Newnham said.
The Irishman started his racing life with Cambridge trainer Tony Pike and was a winner and runner-up in the Listed Uncle Remus S. before his sale to Hong Kong interests.
He won at Warwick Farm in his Australian debut and was second in the G2 Phar Lap S. before his farewell performance on Saturday.
