Kavanagh To Have Maiden Group 1 Runner In Vinery Stud Stakes

Sam Kavanagh will have his first runner at Group 1 level when Interspersed contests the 2014 Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill Gardens this weekend and the rising trainer is happy with the condition of the talented filly.

Sam Kavanagh is chasing his maiden win at Group 1 level with Interspersed in the Vinery Stud Stakes this weekend.

Sam Kavanagh is chasing his maiden win at Group 1 level with Interspersed in the Vinery Stud Stakes this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Interspersed started her autumn campaign with a dominant win at Newcastle on February 8 and had no luck when second in the ATC Membership On Sale Handicap (1400m) at Randwick on February 26 before recording a narrow win in the Canberra Guineas (1400m) on March 9.

The Sebring filly was well-backed in the lead-up to the Group 3 Keith Nolan Classic (1600m) at Kembla Grange on March 23 and ran home strongly to finish fourth – a performance that Kavanagh believes was the equal to that of the winner Zanbagh.

“I couldn’t be happy with her, the prep has gone to plan and she is in top order,” Kavanagh told Racing Ahead this morning.

“They didn’t make up ground on the day and she ran the quickest 600 metres; she was the only horse to make up ground all day.

“She came from last and finished fourth and I thought that her run was equal to the winner Zanbagh and she is $3 in the market and we are 20/1.

“I think that she deserves her place, she is looking for 2000 metres and she is by Sebring; Criterion and Dissident have proven that 2000 metres isn’t beyond them.”

Kavanagh believes that Interspersed has improved from each run this preparation and he is confident that she is at her peak heading into the 2014 Vinery Stud Stakes on Saturday after she impressed onlookers with a strong piece of work at Rosehill Gardens yesterday morning.

“She is in really good order,” Kavanagh said.

“We set her for this race all prep and then onto the Oaks if she ran well.

“This has been her main aim all prep and I feel that we are getting here peaking.

“The horse has improved with each run and I could not be happier with her.”

Interspersed has been ridden by Jason Collett in her past three starts, but will be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy in the Vinery Stud Stakes this weekend; with Kavanagh taking advantage of the opportunity to book his good friend in a Group 1 event where Darley do not have a runner.

Kavanagh believes that McEvoy, who won the 2009 Vinery Stud Stakes with Purple, is one of the best jockeys in Australia over staying distances and is confident that the in-form hoop will give Interspersed an excellent run into the race from barrier eight.

“It is nothing against Jason, he has ridden her in her last few runs, but we just felt like we wanted to go with a Group 1 rider and Kerrin’s record speaks for itself.

“He has great hands, he judges tempo so well and his statistics over staying trips are second to none.”

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.