Big Day Today

Gerald describes KW's chances today as "hard to beat". Certainly on form and at the weights he is in it up to his ears.
Early market rates him a $4 chance but if Kembla is anything to go by there will be smart money late so get on early if not betting on the tote.
Win or lose, one thing is for cetain; he'll be trying. He always does. That's just one thing we love about this horse.

Canterbury - with a big chance

Accepted up at Canterbury on Wednesday 30th September 2009


3 - 2:25 FREEWAY'S GREAT STEAKS HANDICAP (3)                               
                  1550 M
Of $27000. 1st $17550, 2nd $5400, 3rd $2430, 4th $1080, 5th $540. Starter Subsidy:
$200 for non-prize earning runners. FOR Three-Years-Old and Upwards 0 - 71.
BOBS Bonus available: $10,000 Apprentices can claim. Field Limit: 10+4 EM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No   Horse Trainer Jockey Barr  Wgt   Pen  Rtg

1    Kubrick's World  Gwenda Markwell    1  58.5    (68)
2    The Zeebac   Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes  Jay Ford  3  58    (66)
3    Super Hawk  Bill Prain  Chris Munce  6  57.5    (65)
4    Gold Mount(NZ)  Kevin Moses    4  57    (64)
5    Validated(NZ)  Bart Cummings  Peter Robl  9  57    (64)
6    Khamsin Warrior  Gerald Ryan  Taylor Lovelock-Wiggins (a3)  2  56.5  
(63)
7    Magic Eagle(NZ)  Lyndall Olson  Luke Cumberland (a3)  7  56    (67)
8    Forever Grateful  Wayne Andrews    8  55    (60)
9    Zeta  Les Bridge  Michael Palmer (a2)  5  55    (64)

Invincible Spirit hits the front

As if in tune with his son's first win at Kembla, Invincible Spirit has hit the lead in the European sire's premiership by winners with 92 winners out of 201 runners (46%).

Yeehah!

Khamsin Warriors run of bad luck finally turned today with an impressive last-to-first win in the Jim McGee Memorial Cup at Kembla Grange.

After jumping awkwardly jockey Taylor Lovelock-Wiggins didn't panic. He had been instructed to settle midfield and save his run for the straight but after the poor jump and being faced with the options of either moving forward to probably race three wide for most of the trip or easing back onto the rails to settle at the rear of the field, he thankfully chose the latter. Taylor's patience at this point had a significant bearing on the result and he deserves credit for his judgement.

He then pinched a couple of places in the middle stages of the race before asking KW for his trademark burst of acceleration coming out of the turn for home. To the delight of his owners and the punters who backed him into $2.50 favouritism, KW obliged and powered home down the middle of the track to win running away by half a length.

Time for the race was a very creditable 1.23.82 with the last 600m officially in 34.36. KW's last 600 must have been much quicker than that though, as he spotted the leader many lengths at that point in the race.

Trainer Gerald Ryan was tending his charges at Rosehill, but when told the result by phone said that since he seems to like Kembla, we'll return for another bite at the cherry in a fortnight.

The manner of the win suggests that KW will handle both longer and better class races in the future.

Kembla Grange this Saturday

Gerald has nominated KW for the Jim McGee Memorial Cup over 1400m this Saturday at Kembla Grange.

He will be ridden by Taylor Lovelock-Wiggins, who rode 52 winners last year to finish 6th in the NSW & ACT STATE APPRENTICE RIDER PREMIERSHIP. He is still a 3 kilo claim apprentice, so KW will carry only 53kgs and start from barrier 9 in a field of 11.

For the first time KW will carrythe colours of owner/breeder Eddie Cassar, who informs us that "KW’s mum, Coquette, broke her maiden over 1400m at this track carrying my same colours". An omen, perhaps?

The One that Got Away

Opinion is varied about how much bad luck viz a less than perfect ride contributed to KW not winning Wednesday's race. see results

After covering more ground than any other runner and hitting the lead briefly in the straight, he ran on well to finish only 0.7 lengths from the winner who had a far easier (and shorter) run home.

Until the starter released them however, luck was running uncanningly and uncharacteristically in our direction. Several of the fancied runners were scratched overnight and then at the barriers the hot favourite was a late scratching after dislodging a tooth on the framework. One could be forgiven for thinking that our luck had changed and this was to be OUR day.

All that changed when he flew out of the barriers a clear leader and rather than capitalize on this continuing good fortune, Tim Clark restrained him and allowed two others to take up the running. Tim was not to know that the one that lobbed in front of him would race erratically and threaten to come down in front of him.

Before you could say "here we go again" we were back midfield and being hooked five wide on the bend to grab the lead momentarily on straightening. However the effort told as two of the inside runners steadily made ground on our gallant steed to grab first and second from a far more deserving horse.

Once again KW showed dash and courage aplenty and if horses were as reflective as owners he would be in his stall right now telling Sta Volando, Melito, Blackbriar, Regal Banter et al about the 'one that got away'.

Another one for the stable.

Trainer Gerald Ryan's ability to get a horse just right was to the fore yesterday when Melito won the Furious Stakes in race record time.

For a just-turned 3yo filly to run within half a second of Grande Armee's track record she must not only be very good but very fit.

Congratulations Gerald.... and to Melito too of course.

Fleeting Spirit Second

Fleeting Spirit finished a half length second to 14/1 shot Regal Parade in the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup last night.

Trackwork Star

Gerald has KW maintaining peak fitness on the sand track at Rosehill. He worked over 1200m on both Monday and Thursday last week. On Monday he recorded 1.24.07 (last 600m in 37.91) and on Thursday ran the fastest 1200m of the morning on that surface by over 3 seconds in recording 1.22.84 (38.86).

Canterbury next Wednesday

As forecast by Gerald, KW will next start in the 1550m Maiden at Canterbury next Wednesday.

Emulating Dad

Fleeting Spirit is set to emulate her sire by winning the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup (6f) tomorrow.

From http://jeremynoseda.com
FLEETING SPIRIT looks set to take her place in the line up of the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday.

The daughter of Invincible Spirit suffered a couple of setbacks which forced her to miss last month’s Nunthorpe Stakes but her trainer Jeremy Noseda believes her to be in good order now.

He said: “She will run if the ground is good or faster. We would not run if the ground was to come up soft. Ideally I could have done with another two weeks preparation for this as she has suffered a couple of setbacks since her win in the July Cup. However, I have been delighted with her work and feel with a bit of luck she can run well.”

Fleeting Spirit is currently paying about $6.60 on Betfair

The Form

Stephen, our resident form watcher, says that form around KW's last start at Hawkesbury, where he finished an unlucky second, is proving a sound source of winners.
Flying Spin (3rd H'bury) won the race that KW was scratched from today at Wyong, while his victor at H'bury won yesterday at Randwick.
That means that 1st, 3rd, 4th and 8th past the post in KW's last race have gone on to win next start.
Fingers crossed KW can continue the trend.
TIP: Stair (6th placed H'bury) is nominated for 1400m at Newcastle this Saturday.

Change of Plans

KHAMSIN WARRIOR
02/09/09
As stated yesterday he will be scratched tomorrow (Thursday) to run at Canterbury next Wednesday the 9th in a 1550m maiden.

Regards,
Gerald Ryan