Coming off a last start maiden victory over 1717m at Sale, the Phillip Stokes trained 3yo Embellish (NZ) filly Kazaru (NZ) proved the superior stayer at Launceston on Friday night, winning the Listed Tasmania Oaks (2100m) for OTI Racing.
Jumping away the narrow second favourite behind Alpine Eagle filly Crack The Shutters who was coming off second placed finishes in both the Listed Tasmanian Guineas (1600m) and Listed Launceston Guineas (2000m), the Luke Currie ridden Kazaru settled in a mid-field position on the rail.
With the leaders chopping and changing, eventual the Henry Dwyer trained Zuleika (North Pacific) pulled her way to the front.
As the field headed towards the 600m mark, Zuleika still had the lead but the runs were starting to come with the favoured pair of Crack The Shutters and Daytona Diva both travelling strongly behind the leaders needing a gap.
Having come off the rail, Currie was starting to bring Kazaru around the field to challenge Zuleika with the pair pulling clear of the rest of the field to battle it out.
Powering away late, Kazaru got the better of Zuleika to win by a length and a quarter with the Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin trained Miss Aggravation (Kermadec) coming from the tail to run on into third, just ahead of Zuleika’s stablemate Aurora Rise (The Autumn Sun) to give Victorian trained fillies the first four home.
Stakes placed at two when finishing third in the Listed SAJC Oaklands Plate at Morphettville, Kazaru’s victory took her overall record to two wins and two placed efforts from seven starts with prizemoney of $153,150.
Kazaru was a $27,500 purchase for OTI and Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ) from the Book 2 draft of Cambria Park at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock yearling sale.
Becoming the sixth stakes winner for the Cambridge Stud based, G1-winning Savabeel stallion Embellish, Kazaru is the fifth winner and second at stakes level out of the Keeper mare Paulette.
Also trained by Stokes for OTI Racing, Kazaru is a half-brother to G2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) winner Daqiansweet Junior (Sweet Orange) who went on to finish third in the G1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at his very next run.
Interestingly, Kazaru’s victory was the second 3yo stakes winner in Tasmania for Embellish with his now 5yo son Bold Soul (NZ) winning the Listed Tasmania Guineas and Listed Tasmania Derby two years back and lines up this Saturday as a leading chance in the Gr3 SAJC Lord Remis Stakes (2600m) at Morphettville for Patrick and Michelle Payne.
