Russian plotting heist

There’s not many young fillies – or in fact horses of any gender or age – who win five races on the bounce.

But that’s what Russian Alliance, trained in Toowoomba by one-time taxi driver Kevin Kemp, achieved in her last racing campaign, becoming one of the great racing stories out of Queensland last year.

The three-year-old filly’s winning streak was snapped in a Listed race in May, but not before she had beaten Rob Heathcote’s up-and-coming filly Abounding. That form now looks fabulous considering Abounding went on to become a giant killer, winning the $3m Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in January.

Kemp’s filly is back at the races on Saturday to contest the $125,000 QTIS Jewel 3YO Prelude (1110m) at Doomben, en route to the $500,000 QTIS Jewel 3YO at the Gold Coast a fortnight later.

Russian Alliance is rated a $10 chance to make a winning return on Saturday in a race for which she has been allocated the topweight of 60kg.

“I know she’s got a bit of weight, but she has earned it,” Kemp said. “She has carried weight before, she is a lot stronger now too.

“I think it’s a good start off race for her 1100m around Doomben. I rate her very highly.

“Realistically what she did to win five in a row was a great effort, she exceeded our expectations.

“We were so pleased with what she did.

“The filly she beat one day on the Sunshine Coast (Abounding) has really gone on with it.”

Russian Alliance, a daughter of Russian Revolution, was last seen racing in the Bill Carter Stakes last May, when she disappointed by finishing sixth as the $3.90 favourite.

But Kemp said he believed she had simply just come to the end of her campaign.

“She had a pretty good run in the race but we vetted her and couldn’t find anything wrong with her,” Kemp said.

“The run before was a real gut-buster at Caloundra, she fought it out all the way and maybe that ended up taking its toll on her.

“She seemed bright, but they let you know at the race track on race day if they have had enough. She has done really well in her time off.”

The $500,000 Jewel and Queensland winter carnival are being eyed off by Kemp as long as Russian Alliance returns with gusto on Saturday.

Another Toowoomba horse, impressive last-start Sunshine Coast winner Highbar, trained by Josh King, is the $3.60 favourite for Saturday’s 3YO Jewel Prelude.