Knobelas primed for Group One tilt

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr-trained Knobelas will tackle 2000m for the first time when she contests the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.

The four-year-old daughter of Belardo is back campaigning in her country of birth and was unlucky not to have snared more of the $1 million prizemoney on offer when third in the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie just under a fortnight ago.

On that occasion Knobelas finished third to Tuxedo and Hinekaha, the latter whom she meets again on Saturday.

“We think we probably should have won,” Kent Jnr said.

“We spoke pre-race about the Ellerslie track. It's a tight corner, if you have to cut the corner and then come out that's a good thing but she was already on the outside so I didn't see the reason why we had to go back inside looking for runs.

“She got held up, got out late and she was good to the line, so I'm sure she's class-wise up to these gallopers on Saturday.

“She's a very progressive mare but the big unknown is 2000m, but this is certainly a good chance to find out.

“We're very hopeful she does get the 2000m, but you never know until you try it. She’s certainly had the right preparation and she'll be fifth-up on Saturday.

“We've got a good jockey in Daniel Stackhouse and a good barrier (two). Daniel's a prolific winner over here, he's looking for his first Group One, and it'd be nice if we could supply him with that.”

Knobelas is a $3.60 second favourite behind fellow Australian raider Kingswood ($2.50), who won the Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) on Boxing Day.

Kent Jnr said it is a short turnaround from the Aotearoa Classic to the Herbie Dyke, but Knobelas has prepared well.

“She's staying at Lance Noble's place at the Cambridge Stud facility at Karaka,” he said.

“I've not seen a better facility in my time worldwide, it's outstanding, we're very lucky and she's thrived there. In fact she's eaten better there than she has back here at home at Cranbourne, she's done so well, so we're very fortunate.

“She's had the racing required to get out to 2000m and she's not a robust mare, you don't want to be shoving too many hard gallops into her and she's naturally athletic.

“She goes in to Saturday in 100 percent order and we are very happy with her.”

Kent Jnr said he and training partner Mick Price were yet to plan beyond Saturday for Knobelas, who races in the colours of OTI Racing, with the Australian syndicators having a growing presence in New Zealand.

“We are taking it run by run and she's pencilled in for a flight back home on Wednesday, but I suppose if things went really well or you got desperately close there is that option to go back to a mile for the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.1, 1600m) or there is the Bonecrusher (Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes, 2000m) in four weeks,” Kent Jnr said.

“We haven't discussed it honestly. It’s run by run with her and hopefully we've got a good problem on our hands on Saturday afternoon.”