Kahma Lass set to bypass $1m Classic

One of New Zealand’s elite fillies is turning her back on a $1 million race close to home for a shot at Australian glory and the future broodmare value that could hold.

Jamie Richards has confirmed to the Herald that Kahma Lass will bypass the Karaka Classic Mile at Ellerslie and head directly to Sydney.

Richards says the $8 third favourite Need I Say More will also miss the race, as he will be kept for shorter trips, suggesting the $2.50 odds around Aegon may shorten.

“The team behind Kahma Lass [Cambridge Stud] have decided they want to target Sydney, so she’ll head straight there,” says Richards. “So she definitely won’t race here before.”

Kahma Lass will travel to Sydney with stablemate Probabeel, also owned by Cambridge Stud and who has been successful securing the Australian Group 1-winning form which Kahma Lass now seeks.

Because she is already a Group 1 winner of the Guineas in New Zealand, an Australian Group 1 is by far the greatest upgrade Kahma Lass can make to her CV for her broodmare worth as Brendan and Jo Lindsay look to add international black-type depth to Cambridge Stud’s broodmare band. Need I Say More also won’t head to the 1600m as he didn’t stay that distance in the 2000 Guineas so he will instead contest the Mr Tiz on Karaka Million night.

That leaves Aegon, the 2000 Guineas winner, clear of a group of $14 chances about five weeks away from our equal-richest race.

Another 3-year-old who won’t be there is Brando, a slashing winner at Te Rapa on Saturday, but not because Richards doesn’t want to aim him at the race.

“David [Ellis] bought him at the Ready To Run sales and he wasn’t paid up for the sales series races after being passed in as a yearling,” says Richards. “So while he isn’t eligible for the Karaka Classic he will go to the Levin Classic at Trentham to try and win his Group 1.

“He is progressing nicely so it will be the Uncle Remus at Ellerslie on Boxing Day next for him.”

Brando is now the $4 favourite for the Levin Classic and was one of four winners on Saturday for jockey Opie Bosson.

One of the other winners for Richards and Bosson was stunning debutante Sword Of State, who plenty of rival trainers will be happy is not Karaka Million eligible because he was purchased in Australia.