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In-form filly Kapoor is an exception to the rule at John Bell’s Cambridge stable.
The daughter of Reliable Man is now building on the promise she displayed last season and at Ellerslie on Saturday she has the opportunity to make her mark at black type level in the Listed Partners Life Soliloquy Stakes (1400m).
“We don’t run many two-year-olds at all, we’re a bit old school and let them mature, but this filly put her hand up and said she wanted to run,” Bell said.
“In one particular race at Auckland she went very well and after a spell she has come back and proved she’s got the ability.”
Bell was referring to her third placing on Boxing Day behind Star Treasure, who subsequently finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).
Kapoor opened her three-year-old campaign in September with a close second at Taupo and returned to that track to break her maiden over 1300m earlier this month.
“She’s improved since that last run, she’s quite a professional filly and coming along really well,” Bell said.
Also in Kapoor’s favour is her ability to handle a variety of track conditions – she has placed on good ground and won on rain-affected going at Taupo.
She is currently at $21 in the market for the Gr.1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas (1600m) with a decision on the Riccarton feature to be made after Saturday.
“There’s a lot of other options up here, she’s eligible for the million-dollar Karaka race,” Bell said. – NZ Racing Desk.