Talented filly Aimee made up a great deal of ground late to score her fourth straight win in the 2014 Ken Russell Memorial Classic at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Aimee recorded a narrow win over Sagatona and Goodbye Kevin in the 2014 Ken Russell Memorial Classic at the Gold Coast this afternoon. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Aimee looked as though she was struggling come around the final turn in the Ken Russell Memorial Classic, but got going in the straight late and flew down the outside of the track to record a narrow win from Sagatona and Goodbye Kevin.
The daughter Of Exceedingly Good has now scored four wins from six career starts to date, after taking out the Jim Beam Handicap (1110m) at Doomben on February 15, the Heartkids Handicap (1300m) at Eagle Farm on February 22 and the Sky Racing Two-Year-Old Plate (1200m) at the Gold Coast on March 15, and is now rated a $18 chance for the Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) that will be held at Eagle Farm on June 7.
Sagatona looked like the winner when she cut the corner coming around the turn and hit the front at the 200 metre mark and was only run down by Aimee with her final stride.
The Real Saga filly was having her second race start since returning to the races for the first time since her impressive summer campaign that included third place finishes in the Breakfast Creek Hotel Handicap (1110m) and Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Stakes (1200m) as well as a unlucky sixth in the Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 11 and is still chasing a maiden race win.
Goodbye Kevin was having just his fourth race start and battled home bravely in the final stages of the race, but was unable to run down Sagatona in what was his maiden metropolitan race start.
The Immovable Option gelding made his racing debut with a win in the Hygain Romantic Dream Plate (1000m) at Tamworth on October 1 last year and finished fourth in the Greg Cribb Memorial Red Crown Handicap (900m) at Muswellbrook on March 4 before finishing a narrow third in the Grafton Vet Clinic Handicap (1020m) at Grafton on April 24.
David Hayes-trained Zululand ($4.50) remains favourite in 2014 J.J. Atkins betting markets, while the price of Meursault was slashed after he scored an impressive win in the Claret Stakes (1300m) at Hawkesbury this afternoon.
