Except for family and friends and a few loyal Sandgropers, Jamie Kah returned to a muted reception when earning her second Group 1 success on a $101 chance. It will be a different scenario at Sandown-Lakeside on Saturday if the popular jockey chalks up her tenth triumph at the elite level on a close relative of the shock winner.
That winner was the Western Australian 6yo gelding Gatting, which ventured east for the first time in 38 starts to claim the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington over the pride of Tasmania, Mystic Journey.
Since that success in 2019, Kah is now in demand from all the top stables.
That includes Godolphin, who entrusted Kah with the ride on the undefeated Barber in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
The son of Exceed and Excel is a homebred son of the Group III STC Research Stakes winner Trim (Lonhro), a sister to Stubborn, the dam of the $2 million earner, Gatting (Hard Spun).
Stubborn was a 7-start maiden. A bargain $17,000 purchase at the 2013 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, Stubborn went through the same sale in 2018 where Mark Pilkington Management/Cornerstone Stud purchased her for $200,000.
Sadly, the Hinchinbrook filly she was carrying died after birth, and Stubborn never had another foal.
It has been a similar tale of woe for Trim, who died in 2020, and Barber is her final foal.
The daughter of Lonhro was a very talented racemare. In addition to her win over Montana Flyer and Girl Hussler in the Group III Research Stakes at Rosehill, she captured the Listed Red Roses Stakes at Flemington on Victoria Oaks Day.
Among her notable defeats, Trim was an honourable second to the champion More Joyous in the Group II Light Fingers Stakes and was runner-up in the Group II Champagne stakes at Doomben, Listed Ken Russell Classic at the Gold Coast, was third in the Wenona Girl stakes won by Ofcourseican, and was beaten less than a length when fourth behind Faint Perfume, Response and No Evidence Needed in the Group II Kewney Stakes.
Trim had five foals, two of which were fillies, the best being Barber’s sister Manicure.
The daughter of Exceed And Excel won the Group III MRC How Now Stakes and Listed BRC Nudgee Handicap. She was also runner-up to Houtzen in the Group III PJ Bell Stakes, Tofane in the Group III Northwood Plume Stakes, and Alassio in the Group III Triscay Stakes to Invincibella in the $1,000,000 Magic Millions Fillies and Mares.
Manicure has a yearling colt by Street Boss (USA), a filly foal by I Am Invincible, and is back in foal to Street Boss (USA).
A daughter of the Group III winner Firm (Night Shift), Trim is from a family nurtured by Doug Reid at his St John’s Lane Stud, Victoria.
It traces back to the VRC Mimosa Stakes winner Faithful City (Orgoglio), whose daughter Faithfully Yours produced the champion Maybe Mahal.
Barber has given supporters plenty of concern in his three starts, which have come by narrow margins. Still, there is no denying he is enormously talented and a stunning individual.
It is a testament to the longevity of Exceed And Excel at the top level that his two previous Blue Diamond Stakes winners came with Reward For Effort in 2009 and Earthquake in 2014.
