Kelinni impressive winner in Japan Racing

Chris Waller’s five year old import Kelinni will go into next week’s Sydney Cup as one of the main fancies after scoring a decisive win in the Listed $100,000 Brookfield Multiplex Japan Racing Association Plate (2000m) at Randwick today.

kelinni

Kelinni will head to the Sydney Cup after winning the Japan Racing Association Plate at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Kelinni was able to handle the heavy track conditions and carry the topweight of 60kg with ease as he strolled away from his opposition in the run to the line.

Nash Rawiller was happy to sit near the tail of the field until heads were turned for home and let Kelinni loose down the middle of the track to produce a great trial for the Group 1 $500,000 Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick next week.

Kelinni, starting the $5 favourite scored by one and a quarter lengths from Fibrillation ($8) and Pirate Bay ($9.50) a further quarter of a length away in third spot.

Waller is pleased that Kelinni was able to get back into the winner’s stall after he feared that the promising stayer was one run behind in his Sydney Cup preparation.

“The timing has been good for the Sydney Cup,” Waller said.

“I thought that he would have been a little bit more forward than he was prior to the Ranvet, but he seemed to be doing too well on us and he’s come back a lot stronger.”

“I thought three weeks into the Sydney Cup he might over race next week and plus saying that he’s been one behind all the way, I want to make sure he is not one run behind in the Sydney Cup.”

Kelinni proved in the Spring that the 3200m of the Sydney Cup want be a problem after finishing fourth to Green Moon in the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.

Rawiller will have to relinquish the ride on Kelinni to rival Jim Cassidy next week when he teams back up with the Gai Waterhouse trained Julienas who has to turn his form around after finishing last of fifteen in the Group 2 $175,000 Schweppes Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Randwick two week’s ago.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.