Kobayashi downs hot-pot to win Thoroughbred Club Cup
ALL the pre-race talk was about debut winner Doubt I’m Dreaming, but punters quickly came back to reality when Kobayashi sprinted away to win the Thoroughbred Club Cup at Caulfield.
Doubt I’m Dreaming was backed into $1.50 after scoring an impressive win at Moonee Valley to begin its career, but it never looked like running down the Corstens-trained Kobayashi which put back-to-back wins together after scoring in similar fashion on this track last start.
Apprentice jockey Ben Thompson took the son of I Am Invincible to the front before putting multiple lengths into the field in the straight.
“He had the benefit of seeing the course,” Thompson said. “With the scratchings we were probably the only genuine pace, so I got across and at the 900m he was in a beautiful rhythm.
“I let him slide at the 500 and when I asked him to go he changed stride, balanced up in the straight and he was awesome.”
Thompson was thankful to get the ride aboard the colt in a non-claiming race.
“He’s a fast animal and I really can’t thank Troy and Leon Corstens for the opportunity. He’s an exciting horse,” he said.
Co-trainer Troy Corstens thought Kobayashi ($7.60 at Bet365) would materialise in the spring, but after a disappointing run down the straight at Flemington, he reserved his judgement somewhat.
“I had a fair bit of him going into the spring, I said ‘I think this horse goes pretty good’,” Corstens said. “We ran him first up down the straight and he went terrible.
“He’s a really talented colt and he’s by the right stallion. He’s not a big horse, but I don’t think he needs to be.”
Corstens was humble in defeating the hot-pot Doubt I’m Dreaming, believing there wasn’t much between the two horses before the race.
“I’ve got a hell of a lot of respect for John’s horse, I actually thought they married up quite well these two horses,” Corstens said.
“I thought it’d be close today so it was good.”
The Melbourne-based trainer didn’t want to make plans for the two-year-old having just won the race, but is excited about what the spring has to offer.
“The old cliche, we’d never make a decision on race day, but we’ll have a look at Brisbane,” he said. “I do have a question mark about the races up there – whether a 1400m or a J.J. Atkins over a mile would suit him.
“We’ll get him home and then we’ll go from there. We’re really looking forward to the spring when he grows into himself.”
Al Passem was undefeated from two starts coming into the race and battled on well for second – holding out Doubt I’m Dreaming which was never able to show its turn-of-foot.