Alabama Lass on track to defend King’s Plate crown
Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso have been scratching their heads with their Group One-performed mare Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) over the last few months, but they received a confidence boost following her win in a Group and Listed 1100m trial at Taupo on Sunday.
After finishing runner-up when first-up in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley in spring, she disappointed when tailing the field home in the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) three weeks later and following a series of post-race examinations, nothing untoward was found.
The daughter of Alabama Express returned to New Zealand and resumed in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie last month, but once again disappointed when finishing seventh, and once again an extensive post-race examination came back clear.
The Kelsos elected to press on with her preparation, taking her to Taupo on Sunday for a trial and she pleased with an all the way win in a smart field that included Te Akau Racing’s $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) bound pair of He Who Dares and La Dorada.
“We don’t know what went wrong in the Manikato, she disappointed, and was disappointing again in the Railway,” Ken Kelso said.
“After the Manikato we did all the tests, dynamic scopes, an ECG, x-rays, and we couldn’t find anything wrong with her. It’s a mystery really.
“Today was a day to see where we are at and she looked more like her old self.
“If we can’t find anything wrong and her work is good leading up to next week then we will press onto the King’s Plate.”
Alabama Lass was victorious in the Gr.3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m) last year, following consecutive Group One runner-up performances in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Railway (1200m), before going on to win the Listed Moomba Plate (1100m) in her final three-year-old outing at Flemington.
The King’s Plate will take place at Ellerslie on Champions Day, March 7, where stablemate Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) could have her final start in the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m).
The multiple Group One winner was a popular winner of the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa earlier this month where she brought up jockey Opie Bosson’s 100th elite-level victory in the saddle.
The Kelsos have been pleased with her progression since that run and they received positive reports from Bosson following her exhibition gallop at Ellerslie on Saturday.
“She has come through it (Herbie Dyke victory) well and she had an exhibition gallop yesterday at Ellerslie after the first,” Kelso said. “Opie had a feel of her around Ellerslie, which was the idea of it. He gave us a good report and said she changed legs and balanced up nicely, because she hasn’t been the greatest around Ellerslie, but he said she felt great and worked nice, so it’s all systems go to the Bonecrusher.”
Legarto is currently a $3 favourite in the TAB’s futures market for the Bonecrusher, with Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) runner-up Pier at $4.20.
