Kemalpasa turns the tables
South Austalian stars Behemoth (All Too Hard) and Kemalpasa (Magnus) renewed their rivalry in Saturday’s Listed Durbridge S. at Morphettville, and this time it was Kemalpasa who came out on top.
Three-time Group 1 winner Behemoth had won both of the pair’s previous meetings in the G3 Spring S. and last year’s Durbridge, but this time the result was reversed as Kemalpasa prevailed by 0.5l.
Kemalpasa wins the Listed Durbridge S. at Morphettville | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“It was a great thrill, because Behemoth has had the wood on us in all his runs,” winning co-trainer Richard Jolly said.
“I said to Nev Morgan, who owns the horse, that if he was ever going to beat him, today was the day. It worked out well. He got a soft lead and it set him up for some good sectionals.
“He is just such an honest horse. It all comes down to tactics at the end of the day, and there has never been a lot between them. The run he had in front made the difference.
Richard and Chantelle Jolly | Image courtesy of Richard Jolly Racing
“He loves it down the straight at Flemington, so the Newmarket may be the go next. What we do with him between now and then will be determined on how he pulls up.”
Kemalpasa was a $140,000 purchase from the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He has now won 13 of his 37 starts and more than $1.1 million, headed by Group 2 victories in the 2019 and 2020 Linlithgow S. at Flemington. He also finished third in last year’s G1 Oakleigh Plate.
Niedorp upsets at Sunshine Coast
All eyes were on Weona Smartone (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) and Startantes (Star Turn) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, but both were upstaged by the Tony Gollan-trained mare Niedorp (Not A Single Doubt).
Weona Smartone went into the Coastline BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe H. on an eight-race winning streak, while Startantes competed in elite company in Sydney in the spring with a third-placing in the G1 Flight S. and sixth in the G1 Golden Rose.
But Saturday’s race was won by Niedorp, who finished strongest of all with top Kiwi jockey Samantha Collett in the saddle. The 5-year-old mare has now had six wins and nine placings in a 26-start career.
“Sam had a good plan and she executed it well,” Gollan told Racenet. “This mare has been a little beauty. She doesn’t really like the real rain-affected tracks, so I was initially a little bit worried the track wasn’t drying out enough for her.
“She will probably go to the broodmare band this spring, she is looking more like a broodmare as she is getting older.”
Promising start to Dubai mission
Morphettville trainer Will Clarken got his Dubai mission off to a promising start overnight with He’s A Balter (Spirit Of Boom) and Parsifal (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
He’s A Balter lined up in the opening event on the card, the Emaar Dubai Sprint Consolation, and ran a bold race for second behind the Group 3-winning French raider Batwan (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}). He’s A Balter led for most of the race before being caught late, going down by 0.3l at the finish of the US$60,000 (AU$86,000) sprint.
Parsifal later contested the Listed Dubai Sprint, finishing sixth and 4l from the winner.
Pinstriped takes VOBIS Gold Carat
Talented 3-year-old Pinstriped (Street Boss {USA}) kept his unbeaten record intact with a comfortable victory in Saturday’s VOBIS Gold Carat at The Valley.
A 5.5l debut winner at Moe in the spring, Pinstriped was sent out as a $3 favourite on Saturday and delivered again with a 0.5l victory in the hands of jockey Michael Dee.
“He’s improved a hell of a lot (since September),” Dee said. “He’s a more relaxed horse, he’s taken everything in his stride and he’s matured. But he still won that race on raw ability.”
Pinstriped is trained by Enver Jusufovic, who bought the chestnut for $80,000 from the 2019 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
“He’ll improve from that,” Jusufovic said. “I’ll have to put in a nomination for the Australian Guineas after that.”
New Zealand import wins at The Valley
Former New Zealand galloper Zoltan (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) capitalised on a rail-hugging ride from Linda Meech to score an impressive 2l win in Saturday’s Ascend Sales Trophies H. at The Valley.
“I spoke to connections and they were worried about the fence,” Meech said. “At the end of the day it might be off, but I was pretty happy to stay there.
“You have to wait when there’s horses in front of you and outside of you. You just have to be patient, but they all rolled off and I was happy to go inside them. The horse is going along really well.”
Previously trained at Ruakaka in Northland by Kenny Rae and Krystal Williams-Tuhoro, Zoltan is now based at Warrnambool with Symon Wilde. His three Australian starts have produced a seventh at Caulfield, a second at Warrnambool and Saturday’s win.
Zoltan previously won four races in New Zealand and finished a close fifth in the G2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile in his final start before crossing the Tasman.
First stakes win for Showcasing mare
Underrated mare Monza Circuito (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) went to a new level with a first black-type victory in Saturday’s Listed Timaru S. at Riccarton.
Ridden by Corey Campbell, Monza Circuito dictated terms in front and held out the late challenge of the favourite Miss Tycoon Rose (Written Tycoon) to win by 1l.
Trained by Stephen Marsh for owner-breeders Kay and Marie Hood’s Hedwood Thoroughbreds Ltd, Monza Circuito has had 42 starts for six wins and 14 placings.
Monza Circuito (NZ) wins the Listed Timaru S. at Riccarton | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Monza Circuito was trained by Mike McCann before last year’s transfer to Marsh, who also saddled the quinella in Saturday’s G3 NZCIS Wellington Cup at Trentham.
“The people involved with this horse are new owners in my stable, so to get a win like this for them is just fantastic,” Marsh said.
“We actually viewed the mare as a replacement for Belle Fascino, who did such a good job for us over the last two years before we retired her.
“Belle Fascino ran second in this race last year before going on to win the G3 White Robe Lodge, and this mare is on the same path. If she could replicate what Belle Fascino did, I think everyone would be just rapt.”
Americain Angel impresses
Winning might be starting to become a habit for talented mare Americain Angel (Americain {USA}), who went back-to-back with a win in Saturday’s Ladbrokes H. at The Valley.
Trained by Danny O’Brien, Americain Angel won just one of her first 10 starts but placed in eight of them, including three runner-up finishes in all of her first three appearances this season.
The 4-year-old mare finally broke through for a second career win at Caulfield on Boxing Day, and on Saturday she delivered again with a 2l victory.
“I said to Danny that she had an electric turn of foot today, and probably spacing her runs a bit and that cut in the ground really suited her,” jockey Jamie Kah said. “She’s obviously taken a lot of improvement and confidence out of that last start. She ran absolutely super, and she’ll win more this prep.”
