By Heather Anderson
The second jewel of the Hawke's Bay Triple Crown, the 1600-metre G1 Windsor Park Horlicks Plate, has attracted a field of 13 headlined by four-time Group 1 scorer Kawi (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}). The gelding started his spring campaign off on the right hoof, taking the first leg, the Aug. 27 G1 Makfi Challenge S. for the second time, having captured the 2015 edition. It marked the first victory for the gelding since his G1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile win in January, as he ran below par when third in the G1 Herbie Dyke S. Feb. 13 and fifth in the 1600-metre G1 Haunui Farm Classic Feb. 27, with rival Julinsky Prince (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) second, prior to resuming in the Makfi after a layoff and a wind operation.
A two-time winner at the highest level, including the rescheduled 2015 edition of this race held at Trentham last October, Julinsky Prince has not found the winner's circle in four 2016 runs so far, but filled the frame in half of them, including a second in the G2 Windsor Park Stud Japan International Mar. 26, before a seventh-place effort behind Sound Proposition (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) and subsequent G2 Travis S. heroine Rasa Lila (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) in the 1600-metre G1 Manco Easter S. Apr. 23. Julinski Prince tuned up for this run with a win in an Otaki 1200-metre barrier trial Aug. 30.
Several runners are taking another crack at Kawi from the Makfi, including runner-up El Pescado (NZ) (El Hermano {NZ}).
Trainer Stuart Manning told Racing and Sports of his sparsely raced charge, who will benefit from forecasted rain, “I think he's [El Pescado] better now, I couldn't be any happier with him. He's all good, but then I suppose all the others will be too. He doesn't want it heavy or anything, just a bit of cut in the ground and I'll be clapping my hands if it does rain on the day.”
Third in the 1400-metre Makfi, GSW Farm Boy (NZ) (El Hermano {NZ}) has also signed on, along with fifth-place GSW and MG1SP Authentic Paddy (NZ) (Howbaddouwantit), who stands a good chance over the 200 metres of extra real estate Saturday.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
