Kelso and Alabama Lass return to Melbourne

[Wandering Eyes]

Two years after buying Alabama Lass from a Melbourne yearling sale, Matamata trainer Ken Kelso is retracing those steps to find out how the brilliant filly measures up across the Tasman.

Alabama Lass will have her first Australian start in Saturday’s A$500,000 Listed HKJC World Pool Sprint Classic (1100m) at Flemington. She is the highest-rated runner in the field, and under the set weights and penalties conditions of the race, carries 2kg below the 59kg topweight. She is the TAB’s $2.70 favourite and will be ridden by Craig Williams.

“This is going to give us a good idea of how she measures up in Australia,” said Kelso, who trains in partnership with his wife Bev. “We won’t die wondering. If she puts her best foot forward, which she has in all of her New Zealand starts, I think she’ll be competitive.”

Kelso paid A$120,000 to buy Alabama Lass from the Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne in March of 2023, having travelled over for Legarto’s successful raid on the Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m).

Alabama Lass has had eight starts in New Zealand for five wins and three second placings, most recently a five-length runaway over multiple Group One winner Crocetti in the Gr.3 King’s Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie on March 8.

The daughter of Alabama Express had been tripped up by rain-affected ground when runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Crocetti’s Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) in her previous two starts.

“She was a bit unlucky with rain-affected ground in the Guineas and the Railway, so it was good to see her show what she can do when she gets a track to suit,” Kelso said.

“Everything’s gone to plan with her since then. She flew to Melbourne on Wednesday and coped with it really well. She ate everything last night and is looking bright.

“She had her final serious hitout at home on Saturday morning, up against the rail on the course proper. It was a bit foggy, so we weren’t able to time her, but it looked like good work. I think she’s spot on and we’re all systems go.

“She’s in a good place at the moment and we’re very happy with her. Whatever happens on Saturday, this is going to be her final start this season.”

Alabama Lass has drawn gate four among a full field of 18 sprinting three-year-olds.

“They tell me that’s not a bad place to draw,” Kelso said. “A few of the other favourites have drawn around her.

“We’ll leave tactics up to Craig, who will have done his form. I’m not saying that she won’t lead, but I don’t think she has to. If something else wants to go forward, she’s shown that she’s quite adaptable and can take a sit.

“She’s shown at home that she’s good around corners, but we all know that races down the straight at Flemington are quite different. It’ll be interesting to see how she handles it.”

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