The Group I MRC Sir Rupert Clark Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday produced a first G1 winner for Yarraman Park based sire Hellbent last year when four year-old mare Magic Time took the prize and this year it was another Yarraman sire in Brave Smash (Jpn) taking the honours with his high class four year-old daughter Kimochi saluting for Yulong.
Kept with her original trainer Gary Portelli after being purchased by Yulong for $2.2million purchase price at the 2024 Inglis Chairman's Sale, Kimochi was a first up winner for her new owners back in August when taking out the Group III ATC Toy Show Quality and had been competitive in three subsequent runs in elite company.
She bounced back from a last start seventh in the Group I VRC Empire Rose Stakes at 1600m, appreciating the drop back to 1400m to overpower Another Wil to claim a half length win for Craig Williams taking her overall record to four wins and nine placings from 18 starts with prizemoney just shy of $2million.
"There was a bit of pressure on us, Yulong have been on fire with their famous colours in the last few weeks," Portelli said.
"I was able to win first-up with her and she'd just hit a couple of little flat spots since. Back to the 1400m, no weight on her back, champion ride. It was a brilliant ride from barrier 13 to get one off.
"They paid $2.2 million for her at the Inglis Chairman's Sale, and we've been able to win a Group. She's worth probably three times that now."
Craig Williams was having his first ride back on Kimochi since he finished second on her last year in the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas won by Joliestar.
"From the first half of the race, I just worried about riding her, not worried about positioning, and I thought if I get that first part right with her, I'll have a really good horse at the end," Williams said.
"At the top of the straight, she was just marking time and then all of a sudden she just really showed her tenacity and to run down a horse like another Wil was great."
At her first trip to the sales, Kimochi made $21,000 to the bid of Hall of Fame Bloodstock from the Valiant Stud draft at the 2021 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale and has made money for everyone that has come in contact with her.
Bred by Aquis, Kimochi is a half-sister to stakes-placed Hole in One and is from unraced I Am Invincible mare Summer Fun, a sister to Group III placed Real Charisma from Group I VRC Oaks third Summerbliss.
Summer Fun was bought by Kia Ora stud for $80,000 at the 2022 Inglis Chairman’s Sale and has foaled this spring producing a colt by Farnan.
Kimochi is the first Group I winner for Brave Smash stands at Yarraman Park Stud for $33,000 and is the second for I Am Invincible as a broodmare sire joining Asfoora.
