Two black-type hopes for Kelso stable
Counties Cup this Saturday at Pukekohe Park
Matamata trainers Bev and Ken Kelso are going into Saturday’s Counties meeting hopeful rather than confident with their two black-type contenders.
They will be
represented in the Gr.2 NRM Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1400m) by
the in-form Cote D’Or and their chances in the Listed Haunui Farm Counties Bowl
(1100m) will rest with Irish Moon.
With four straight
wins on the board, Cote D’Or will have plenty of supporters, while Irish Moon
has shown over the years he has the talent to win the Bowl.
Though pleased
with their recent work, Ken Kelso is reserved over the prospects of both
horses.
"This is a lead-up
to the Cal Isuzu for Cote D’Or and she’s dropping back to 1400 metres,” he
said.
"She had a pretty
hard run when she won the Matamata Cup and had a bit of time off to get over it
so she’ll improve with this run.”
As for Irish Moon,
Kelso is looking to a gear change to help him regain his best form after
finishing sixth behind Untamed Diamond in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint
(1200m) at Te Rapa a fortnight ago.
"We’ve taken the
hood (blinkers) off Irish Moon,” Kelso said. "Michael (Coleman) reckons he was
going too hard for his own good with it on. Hopefully he will settle a bit
better.”
Cote D’Or was
impressive when charging home to win the Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) six weeks
ago and, though best suited over 1600 metres or further, the lengthy Pukekohe
home straight could enable her to repeat that finishing burst over the shorter
1400m trip.
The Cote D’Or camp
had originally planned to keep her at 1600 metres for her next start after the
Matamata Cup and tackle the Carbine Club Stakes at Ellerslie on Melbourne Cup
day with a possible view to either contesting Saturday’s Gr.3 Ssangwong
Counties Cup (2100m) or having yet another 1600-metre start.
But having given
her extra time to get over the Matamata Cup run, it was decided a better option
was to drop her back to the 1400 metres on Saturday then target the Gr.2 Cal
Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa on December 16.
"In hindsight it
wouldn’t have suited her running at Ellerslie the way they were winning off the
front,” Kelso said. "This is a better option and as long as she is finishing it
off well I’ll be happy. It should top her off for the Cal Isuzu.”
Cote D’Or has won
half her 14 starts for owner and co-breeder, Sir Peter Vela, with three of the
wins being over 1600 metres.
She was stretched
out to three staying tests last campaign and improved with each assignment. She
finished third in the South Waikato Cup (2000m) in her middle-distance debut
then won over 2100m at Tauranga and over 2200m at Te Rapa.
With that staying
form on the board, the Makfi five-year-old has been nominated for the Gr.1
Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie on March 18.
Irish Moon also
holds a Group One nomination at Ellerslie, for the Sistema Railway (1200m) on
New Year’s Day, and will press toward that goal, needing to show his best form
to get a crack at the feature in which he finished seventh last season. – NZ
Racing Desk