Kimochi stuns in Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke
Gary Portelli and Craig Williams have combined with Kimochi ($26) to take out the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, giving Yulong Investments another spring carnival winner.
The daughter of Brave Smash was unwanted in betting, drifting from an opening price of $15 to $26 before the start of the race; however, it was another roughie saluting on the program, joining Jasmin Rogue and Another Prophet, who claimed the other features at Caulfield at big prices.
The speed was very quick throughout the 1400m journey as Run Harry Run ($51) did just that at the front of the field, with War Machine ($12) and Gentleman Roy ($34) allowing the leader to bowl along a length in front of them during the middle stages.
The Ciaron Maher duo of Another Wil ($2.60) and Jimmysstar ($3.20) settled behind the leading division and received economical runs, with the former of the two getting onto the back of Buffalo River ($41), who was made to race four-wide throughout.
At the top of the home straight, Jamie Kah took a gap in between horses on Another Wil and quickly bounded to the lead before giving a strong kick with less than 300m to go.
Meanwhile, Williams pushed Kimochi into clear air, and when he pushed the button, the mare let down with a strong turn of foot to challenge the leader.
With 100m to go, it was clear that Kimochi was going better than Another Wil, and she surged past him in the concluding stages to record a half-length victory.
2024 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes replay – Kimochi
Gary Portelli was on course to speak about Kimochi’s win.
“There was a bit of pressure on us, Yulong have been on fire with their famous colours in the last few weeks,” Portelli said.
“I was able to win first up with her and she’d just hit a couple of little flat spots since.
“Back to the 1400m, no weight on her back, champion ride. It was a brilliant ride from barrier 13 to get one off.
“He was a long way back at one stage but it is a dream come true for us.
“We need the bigger stables behind us, that helps, and we’ve repaid their faith.
“They paid $2.2 million for her at the Inglis sales and we’ve been able to win a Group 1 now and she’s worth probably three times that now.
“We’ll just put her away now and regroup.
“I think 1400m is obviously the distance we have to stick to now.
“She’s a good horse fresh, she’s unbeaten first up so we’ll find something and have a good crack at her first up.”
Craig Williams recorded his seventh victory in the Sir Rupert Clarke, and he spoke post-race.
“I spoke to Gary Portelli, the horse’s trainer Wednesday when the barrier draw came out and she drew wide and I just said ‘look, she too good a credentialed horse, multiple Group 1 placed, she’s got fifty two and a half on her back, let’s worry about when we get there.
“I just thought naturally we would go forward and find a spot somewhere.
“My first target would be if I can get on the back of Another Wil, it might be a really good target, but not guaranteed I could get there.
“Then going to the gates, I haven’t ridden there since here, exactly 12 months ago and I thought, wow, she’s a bit racy, she’s fresh, she’s a lot stronger.
“So basically from the first half of the race, I just worried about riding her, not worried about positioning, and I thought if I get that first part right with her, I’ll have a really good horse at the end, and at the top of the straight, she was just marking time.
“And then all of a sudden she just really showed her tenacity and to run down a horse like Another Wil was great.
“But she did have a really nice weight today, but she is also a really well-deserved winner of a Group 1 race.”
Comments are closed.