Mick Kent's judgment about Kinane's ability has been vindicated and fellow trainer Chris Waller is the beneficiary with the three-year-old an impressive Group Three winner at Randwick on Saturday.
Victorian handler Kent had planned an extended break from training to travel overseas and dispersed his horses to various trainers with Reliable Man gelding Kinane ending up with Waller in Sydney.
Kent's working holiday has been scuppered by the global Covid-19 pandemic but he kept a share in Kinane, winner of Saturday's Frank Packer Plate (2000m).
"He's (Kent) got a big slice of him." Waller said.
"He was going away for a break and he said 'I've got a nice horse, it will suit your style and look after him, we think he's a decent horse'.
"He said, the Derby will come up a bit quick for him but maybe a race like the Frank Packer Plate will suit. That was about three months ago.
"He is obviously a very smart horseman and he knows his stock very well."
With James McDonald aboard, Kinane ($7) was a decisive 1-1/4 length winner over Bottega ($8).
Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) winner Quick Thinker ($4.40 favourite) found the race one too many and finished fifth.
Waller said he would look at the logistics regarding crossing state borders with Kinane but with the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) among Brisbane races to have been abandoned, Adelaide could be an option.
"Normally he would go to Queensland for the Derby so we can either look at a Group race up there or we can go down to Adelaide and have a run in the South Australian Derby (Gr.1, 2500m) in about three weeks or he can go for a spell," he said.
McDonald was effusive about Kinane who broke his maiden at Wyong at his third start three weeks ago.
"He gives you an excellent feel, but probably almost close to the feel of the carnival for mine, he was pretty special today," he said.
"He's just very new and how he executes his craft, once he got out he had many lengths to make up and he did it effortlessly, very special horse."
"It's nice to tick off that Group box and now he can go forward onto bigger and better things.
"As a four-year-old I think you'll see a very special horse."
Waller said he hoped Kent would leave Kinane with him in Sydney.
"When you get the phone call from another trainer it is quite a special moment to be recognised by others and he is obviously a trainer who knows what a good horse is," he said.
"I hope he stays away through all of this coronavirus and leaves him with me for a bit longer yet.
"We didn't discuss it. He just said to look after him, he's a nice horse with a bright future. Treat him as if he is your own.
"When you get those instructions, you certainly do what you can to make sure you're winning races but looking after the horse as well."
Bred by Nearco Stud, Kinane was purchased by Highden Park's Libby and Sam Bleakley as a weanling out of Curraghmore's 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock draft. He was then purchased by Red Hare Bloodstock and when through Phoenix Park's 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale and knocked down to respected bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo on Kent’s behalf.
Cataldo went to $165,000 to secure the Reliable Man colt from Tres Rapide.
“He was in Phoenix Park’s draft and I had seen him at Te Rapa when he breezed up,” Cataldo said.
“I really liked him as an individual. He was a big horse with a lot of scope and I loved the way that he came down in his breeze up.
“He was a really good mover and his mother, Tres Rapide, she was a really good filly in the making.
“She ran third in a race at Taupo and it was the run of a really good horse in the making, but she never raced again after that.
“He was by Reliable Man out of a Nom du Jeu mare that had ability so he was always going to stay. I bought him for Mick Kent, who wasn’t at the sale that year, but he liked him enough to go to $165,000 on him.
“Mick had him for his first start and then he was going on sabbatical for a year or so, so he decided to send him to Chris Waller with the intention of heading towards a Queensland Derby, but obviously that race is not being run this year.”
Cataldo was also involved in the purchase of Quick Thinker, who won the Gr.2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) for an OTI Racing syndicate.
“He peaked for the Derby and Opie’s (Bosson, jockey) comments after today’s race were that he might have just had enough.”
Cataldo remains busy in lockdown and takes heart from news that trans-Tasman equine air travel could be back up and running within a month.
“I’ve certainly had good interest in sourcing New Zealand horses for Australia. There is plenty of demand as New Zealand horses have performed so well once again this autumn in Sydney, it is just a matter of finding the right ones.”
Kinane was part of a Group Race double for Curraghmore graduates with the Gordon Cunningham-bred Tofane winning the Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) later on the card. – NZ Racing Desk
