Kelsos’ millionaire mares on track for further riches

[Wandering Eyes]

Ken and Bev Kelsos’ millionaire duo of Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) and Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) are well on target for further major assignments as the feature summer racing period looms.

An easy trial win at Te Aroha on Wednesday has confirmed that Legarto is ready to resume her career in the Gr. 1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday week.

The six-year-old, already credited with stake-earnings of more than $2 million, has been off the scene since finishing fifth in the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa in late September.

That race was to be followed by the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Ellerslie on October 18, however, Legarto was withdrawn due to a niggling hoof problem resulting from constant wet spring ground.

It has since been a game of patience for connections, however, she has turned the corner with an exhibition gallop at Tauranga last week, further good trackwork and a trial hit-out to now be ready to race again.

In Wednesday’s 1100m black-type trial ahead of the Te Aroha race meeting, Legarto set a leisurely pace from fellow Group One winner Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) and was under no pressure from rider Vinnie Colgan to score by 3-1/2 lengths.

“That was good to see, more like her old self, and she was in no hurry to pull up,” Ken Kelso said. “She had a hood on for the first time today and I’m pretty sure it will stay on when she races.

“We have the option of the TAB Mile at Trentham or the Cal Isuzu (Gr.2, 1600m) a week later at Te Rapa, but at this stage she’ll be heading to Trentham.

“The obvious attraction is it’s a Group One and the trip away on top will be a better platform ahead of the Zabeel Classic (Gr.1, 2000m), which is her Christmas target.”

Legarto’s bold trial forced a rejig of the futures market for the TAB Mile, from $4.50 equal favourite with La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos) and Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) to now be the outright favourite at $4. Legarto will be bidding for her first win since a fresh-up victory last February in the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m) at Matamata.

The Kelso stable’s other millionaire earner, Alabama Lass, has also received the green light for summer features after making good progress since her return from a two-race Melbourne spring campaign.

Having won at Flemington on a hit-and-run mission in her final three-year-old appearance last autumn, Alabama Lass returned to Melbourne in September for a fresh-up second in the Gr. 1 Moir Stakes (1000m), followed by a sub-par performance in the Gr. 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m).

“That really had us scratching our heads, so once we got her home and back in work we decided to run a battery of tests to see if we could identify any sort of a problem,” Kelso said.

“The vet report has come back all clear, her scopes and everything are good, so we can start making plans.

“It looks as though she’ll go into the Railway first-up, so now it’s a matter of working back from the Karaka Millions meeting in late January, probably with trial earlier in the month and maybe an exhibition gallop somewhere.

“She’s up to three-quarter-pace at home and has really furnished and bulked up.”

Alabama Lass is the $4 equal favourite for the Gr. 1 Sistema Railway (1200m) alongside star three-year-old filly Well Written (Written Tycoon).

Under the race’s set weight and penalty conditions, she will carry 54 kilos, and Kelso has already had tentative discussions with Melbourne lightweight jockey Craig Williams.

“Craig knows her well from her Melbourne races and he’s keen to stick with her, so we’ll keep in touch,” he said.

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