Kawi
Race Images Palmerston North
Michael Walker has got the nod to continue his association with Kawi in Saturday's Gr.1 NRM Sprint at Te Rapa.
"It was a hard one and it was discussed by the syndicate – Leith (Innes) has got a good record on the horse, but Michael had the knack of settling him in his races," trainer Allan Sharrock said.
Walker rode Kawi during the Savabeel gelding's three-start campaign last year in Perth, after which Kawi was given a break and Sharrock is happy with the six-year-old's recent progress.
"He's had two jump-outs and a trial," Sharrock said. "He's still quite big, but he'll be hard to beat."
Kawi also has the outstanding record at 1400 metres of seven wins, including two editions of the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes and the Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes, and three placings from 11 appearances.
"He'll run at Te Rapa and then in the weight-for-age mile at Otaki and then we come to the fork in the road – there's the New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie or we could be looking at Sydney or Brisbane.
"We'll wait and see what his form is like at the time, he'll tell us." – NZ Racing Desk.
"It was a hard one and it was discussed by the syndicate – Leith (Innes) has got a good record on the horse, but Michael had the knack of settling him in his races," trainer Allan Sharrock said.
Walker rode Kawi during the Savabeel gelding's three-start campaign last year in Perth, after which Kawi was given a break and Sharrock is happy with the six-year-old's recent progress.
"He's had two jump-outs and a trial," Sharrock said. "He's still quite big, but he'll be hard to beat."
Kawi also has the outstanding record at 1400 metres of seven wins, including two editions of the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes and the Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes, and three placings from 11 appearances.
"He'll run at Te Rapa and then in the weight-for-age mile at Otaki and then we come to the fork in the road – there's the New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie or we could be looking at Sydney or Brisbane.
"We'll wait and see what his form is like at the time, he'll tell us." – NZ Racing Desk.