Kawi will be out to defend his Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes title on Saturday
Trish Dunell
A sparkling jumpout at New Plymouth on Monday told New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock that Kawi was in the right condition to defend his title in Saturday's Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Hastings.
It was just the performance Sharrock wanted to see from three-time Group One winner Kawi as he prepares for the weight-for-age first Group One of the new season.
"He's just had a 1000m jumpout and he went enormous," Sharrock said.
"That's his final gallop. He'll do very little now before Saturday. I'm very happy with where he's at."
Sharrock confirmed Kawi would contest the Makfi Challenge Stakes after a pleasing gallop at Hawera on Saturday in company with another Hastings-bound stablemate, Bishopbriggs.
A knock to his cannon bone ruled Kawi out of the Gr.2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa earlier this month but Sharrock said the setback had cost his star galloper nothing but a leadup run in terms of his Makfi Stakes preparation.
"We iced it and did everything right, took all the precautions, and he trotted up nigh on sound," Sharrock said. "He nearly could have run in the Foxbridge but we just needed to look after him. You can squeeze his tendon as much as you like and he doesn't even wince, so he's good to go.
"He missed one day of work and even then he was hand-walked that day so he's ready."
TAB bookmakers on Monday had Kawi as a $5.50 second favourite for the Makfi Stakes behind impressive first-up Ruakaka winner Valley Girl at $5.
"We've got to defend our title and I think we can," Sharrock said.
Safely through Saturday's race, Kawi is likely to tackle the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings on September 17 before Sharrock decides between the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings on October 1 or heading to Australia.
"If he happened to go very well in the first two, I could pop him on a plane to Melbourne. There are some good races for very good money leading up to the $2 million Mackinnon Stakes," said Sharrock, who was pleased he had resisted any temptation to nominate Kawi for the Gr.1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in October after watching Winx win impressively first-up in Sydney on Saturday.
"He'll tell us how well he's going and we'll make decisions based on that." - NZ Racing Desk
It was just the performance Sharrock wanted to see from three-time Group One winner Kawi as he prepares for the weight-for-age first Group One of the new season.
"He's just had a 1000m jumpout and he went enormous," Sharrock said.
"That's his final gallop. He'll do very little now before Saturday. I'm very happy with where he's at."
Sharrock confirmed Kawi would contest the Makfi Challenge Stakes after a pleasing gallop at Hawera on Saturday in company with another Hastings-bound stablemate, Bishopbriggs.
A knock to his cannon bone ruled Kawi out of the Gr.2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa earlier this month but Sharrock said the setback had cost his star galloper nothing but a leadup run in terms of his Makfi Stakes preparation.
"We iced it and did everything right, took all the precautions, and he trotted up nigh on sound," Sharrock said. "He nearly could have run in the Foxbridge but we just needed to look after him. You can squeeze his tendon as much as you like and he doesn't even wince, so he's good to go.
"He missed one day of work and even then he was hand-walked that day so he's ready."
TAB bookmakers on Monday had Kawi as a $5.50 second favourite for the Makfi Stakes behind impressive first-up Ruakaka winner Valley Girl at $5.
"We've got to defend our title and I think we can," Sharrock said.
Safely through Saturday's race, Kawi is likely to tackle the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings on September 17 before Sharrock decides between the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings on October 1 or heading to Australia.
"If he happened to go very well in the first two, I could pop him on a plane to Melbourne. There are some good races for very good money leading up to the $2 million Mackinnon Stakes," said Sharrock, who was pleased he had resisted any temptation to nominate Kawi for the Gr.1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in October after watching Winx win impressively first-up in Sydney on Saturday.
"He'll tell us how well he's going and we'll make decisions based on that." - NZ Racing Desk
