By Heather Anderson
Kawi (NZ), the champion middle distance horse in his native land during the 2016/2017 season, added his seventh victory at the top level in the G1 Rydges Captain Cook S. at Trentham Saturday. The 9-5 favourite was away well for a change, but was a bit rank and pilot Jason Waddell had his hands full restraining him for the backstretch run. One from the tail at the halfway point, Waddell sent Kawi and the response was immediate, as he quickly swung up into contention four abreast by the 400-metre marker. Letting down strongly, he was going best of all late, while Consensus (NZ) (Postponed) did well to take second after blowing the break 1 1/4 lengths behind. G1SW Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) came with a late run to take third, a short neck ahead of Benzini (Aus) (Tale of the Cat). After the Captain Cook, Kawi equalled Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire})'s Group 1 record in New Zealand, while the duo is one behind Kiwi Horse of the Year Mufhasa (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) who has eight domestic victories.
“We could stay at a mile or go to 2000m or freshen him up and go for the Telegraph–he's a tractable horse,” trainer Allan Sharrock told www.nzracing.co.nz. “He's a very good horse–he sat four wide and that's not how we saw it, but he was tough enough. He was travelling on the corner, it was a terrific effort.”
Added Waddell, “Down the back straight we were all over the place, we had a good spot and then got shuffled back. 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.”
A winner of the G1 Haunui Farm Classic on Feb. 25, Kawi signed off his 2016/2017 campaign with a fifth in the Mar. 16 G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand S. at Ellerslie and was third returning at Te Rapa in the G2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate over heavy ground on Aug. 19. He dropped a spot in the 1400m Sept. 2 G1 Tarzino Trophy at Hastings, but overcame a wide journey in the G1 Windsor Park Plate to take third at Hastings on Sept. 23. He filled that position again in the G2 Tauranga S. last out Nov. 18.
Pedigree Notes…
The fourth and by far the most accomplished offspring of the unraced Magic Time (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}), Kawi is a half to a 3-year-old filly by Zed (NZ) and a juvenile filly by Rock 'n' Pop (Aus). Of his next three dams, only his second dam, Super Wench (NZ) (Last Tycoon {Ire}), was a winner, with both Honey Bunny Baby (Tank's Prospect) and her dam A Streaker (Dr. Fager) unraced. Click for the free Arion.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Saturday, Trentham, New Zealand
CAPTAIN COOK S.-G1, NZ$200,000, WRC, 12-09, Open wfa, 1600mT, 1:36.28, gd.
1–KAWI (NZ), 59.0, g, 7, by Savabeel (Aus)
1st Dam: Magic Time, by Volksraad (GB)
2nd Dam: Super Wench, by Last Tycoon (Ire)
3rd Dam: Honey Bunny Baby, by Tank's Prospect
O-A A Baeyertz, J P Goodin, T Kemp, G A Macdonald, G H
Phillips, B R & S A Sharrock; B-Mrs C M & J P Goodin, Central,
NZ; T-S A Sharrock; J-J L Waddell; NZ$118,750. Lifetime
Record: 37-15-6-5, A$1,217,149. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Consensus (NZ), 57.0, m, 6, Postponed –Kate Cross, by Cape
Cross (Ire). O-Mrs T Gibbens, S Lamond, Mrs D P & M D J
Molloy, Touchdown Racing Ltd & Est Late M C Molloy; B-M2
Racing Limited, Waikato, NZ; T-S J McKee; J-R J Myers;
NZ$38,000.
3–Sofia Rosa (NZ), 57.0, m, 5, Makfi (GB) –Bislieri (Aus), by
Encosta de Lago (Aus). (NZ$65,000 Ylg '14 NWZJAN) O-Jml
Bloodstock Ltd (Mgr L Petagna); B-G Harvey, Auckland, NZ; T-S
B Marsh; J-M T Coleman; NZ$19,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, SNK. Odds: 1.90, 17.5, 18.9.
Also Ran: Benzini (Aus), Authentic Paddy (NZ), Coldplay (NZ), Son of Maher (Aus), Chocante (NZ), Miss Wilson (Aus).
Click for the Racing Post chart. NZ Video.
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