Kawi for Telegraph?
Weight-for-age powerhouse Kawi looks a likely attraction on Wellington Cup day, with two Group I options open for him on the day.
His New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock is yet to decide the path for Kawi, who was a class above his rivals in the Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham on Saturday, but gave a strong hint the horse’s favourite course was again on the cards.
‘‘We could stay at a mile or go to 2000m or freshen him up and go for the Telegraph – he’s a tractable horse,’’ he said.
The $250,000 Telegraph sprint down the 1200m chute at Trentham would be a surprise choice, but Sharrock indicated he would go in fresh and wear blinkers.
The TAB is taking the Telegraph option seriously, lifting him to $8 joint favouritism with Start Wondering.
The other option on cup day on January 20 would be the $200,000 Thorndon Mile, which Kawi won in 2016.
Another path Sharrock could take would be to head to the Auckland carnival, with the Zabeel Classic, which he won in 2015, a possibility.
Kawi won his seventh Group I with his Captain Cook Stakes success, proving too strong for the game mare Consensus, who will be a Zabeel Classic contender, and Sofia Rosa, who showed a welcome return to form.
Kawi is now one Group I win behind two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year Mufhasa.
"He’s a very good horse – he sat four wide and that’s not how we saw it, but he was tough enough,’’ Sharrock said.
‘‘He was travelling on the corner, it was a terrific effort.’’
Rider Jason Waddell said that after plenty of early problems: ‘‘I then rode him like the best horse in the race and kept him out of trouble and rolling along.
‘‘When the speed went out of the race 700m from home I got going. It’s a long way down that straight, but he’s just a tiger.’’
Xpression won the Group II Wakefield Challenge Stakes for two-year-olds, coming from last to beat hot favourite Espumoso, whose run was a good one after being taken on in front, NZ Racing Desk reported.
‘‘She’s always been an intelligent horse and really settled after her run the other day,’’ Lowry said. ‘‘She learned a lot from her first start.
‘‘She’ll probably have a bit of a break now,’’ Lowry said. ‘‘We could look at the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes later on.’’
Xpression was partnered by Sam Collett, who rode three winners in a row on Saturday.
‘‘She didn’t jump that well, but she came up on the bridle at the right time and she finished off very well,’’ Collett said.
Nala Park will offer a sister to Xpression during the book two sale at Karaka in 2018.