Talented Fastnet Rock gelding Kaepernick earned his first win in 2018 when fighting off Dothraki in Saturday's $150,000 Group III ATC Southern Cross Stakes at Randwick.
Eased back to last early by Brenton Avdulla, Kaepernick displayed a brilliant turn of foot to edge clear of the stubborn Dothraki by a long-head with a long-neck back to Pitt Lane in third. (photo Steve Hart).
It was the second stakes win for John O'Shea-trained gelding after the Listed Ortensia Stakes at Scone two years ago.
Bred by G S A Bloodstock, Kaepernick advances his record to 8 wins, 4 seconds and 3 thirds from 29 starts with earnings of $677,660.
"He travelled really comfortably throughout the run," Avdulla said.
"I got to the corner with a bit of horse and I just didn't want them to get too far ahead of me so I just let him slide and I got there a little quicker then I wanted to but to his credit he kept toughing it out.
"He's a good, genuine, tough galloper that has a good turn of speed when he can use it the right way."
One of five winners from as many foals of the stakes-winning Stravinsky mare Volcada, Kaepernick was a $400,000 purchase by his trainer out of the Broadwater Thoroughbreds draft at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Out of a 7-time winning half-sister to Group I Doomben 10000 winner Ideal Planet, Volcada has a 2yo colt by Fastnet Rock and was bred back to the Coolmore Champion again last spring.
