The Chittick Family Fillies’ Classic (1100m) at Taupo has a prestigious honour roll and has duly been elevated to Listed status this season, and it has attracted a field to suit on Sunday.
Matamata trainers Ken and Bev Kelso have a strong record in the race, having won it with their Group One winner Bounding (2013) and current sprinting star Alabama Lass (2024).
The race proved to be a great launching pad for their three-year-old seasons, with Bounding going on to win the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), Gr.3 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) and Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1200m), and runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
Alabama Lass went on to have a similarly impressive three-year-old term, winning the Gold Trail Stakes, Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and Gr.3 King’s Plate (1200m), and was runner-up in the Railway and NZ 1000 Guineas.
Ken Kelso looks back on those wins fondly and is pleased the race has been elevated to Listed status.
“We have had a few runners in the race and Alabama Lass and Bounding have won it,” he said. “It has always been a nice steppingstone to go on to the Gold Trail, Soliloquy and races like that. It is nice that it has now got black type to it.”
The Kelsos will tackle this year’s edition with Latoya, a full-sister to their recently retired Group One mare Legarto, and they are hoping she can follow in the footsteps of her stable predecessors.
The daughter of Proisir has shown plenty of ability to date, winning a trial over 800m at Avondale as a late two-year-old before winning on debut over 1200m at Ruakaka last month after travelling three wide.
“She had a tiny break and had a few days off after she won at Ruakaka,” Kelso said. “She worked nicely on the course proper yesterday (Wednesday) morning and I am very happy going into the race with her.
“It (debut win) was a good effort. She got trapped three wide and to finish it off like she did was a good result.
“She has got to make that next step up on Sunday to stakes company against a better class of three-year-old filles. It is a learning curve and we will be much the wiser on what track we take after Sunday.”
Northern trainers had two three-year-old stakes options this weekend, with the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka on Saturday, but with its closer proximity and new black-type status on a left-handed track, Kelso said the decision to head to Taupo was made for him.
“I might have been swayed to go back to Ruakaka (for the stakes race), but the reason I didn’t go back was that I didn’t want to give her another big trip,” he said. “I also wanted to go left-handed. If we are good enough to go to the 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m), she hasn’t been left-handed, even in her trials. It is a nice race and nice and handy.”
The Kelsos will also be represented at Taupo by three-year-old debutant Levarti in the Little Avondale Stud (1000m).
Bred by Philip and Catherine Brown of Ancroft Stud, the daughter of Proisir will carry their familiar silks, which have been prominent in recent years through the deeds of their former Group One stars Levante and Legarto.
Levarti won her sole trial over 850m at Te Awamutu last month and Kelso is hoping she can bring that form to raceday.
“She has got to take that step up to raceday,” he said. “There is a big difference between trials and races. She won her trial nicely at Te Awamutu and she has worked up well since, and she has done everything right.
“She has drawn okay (1) and it looks like she has got a bit of ability. Sunday is going to give us an idea on what we do with her, whether we carry on with a fillies race or we give her a small break.”
The Browns’ silks will also be carried this weekend by stablemate Levakia, who will be first-up in the Shane Batten Electrical Bream Bay Cup (1400m) at Ruakaka.
“She is rated 86 and I wanted to find a nice open 1400m,” Kelso said. “Her record at Ruakaka is good, she has been up there twice for two wins.
“I hope the track doesn’t get too bad because she is fresh-up over 1400m. I thought she trialled up enormous at Te Rapa. Michael (McNab, jockey) has been over and ridden her a couple of times and he was rapt with her work.
“We are happy to be there and then we can progress to a mile after that because she is definitely a staying mare in the future, she has won over 2200m. With an off track I think she should be reasonably competitive over 1400m.”
Meanwhile, Kelso was pleased with Sarti and Alabama Lass’ recent trials and he is looking forward to them resuming in the coming weeks.
“I thought Sarti’s trial on the synthetic was very good and Michael (McNab) was rapt with the trial,” Kelso said. “Weather permitting and track permitting, he may go to Te Rapa next Saturday for a 65 1200m, if not, we have got the option of going to Proisir Day (at Ellerslie, September 5) for a 65 1100m. He is a big striding horse and definitely wants a good track.
“I thought Alabama Lass trialled up really well at Te Rapa, I was really happy and Michael seemed to suit her, and he was rapt with the trial.
“Like everyone else, we are on weather watch going forward to the Foxbridge (Gr.2, 1200m). We would like to get a run into her there so we could look to the Proisir (Gr.1, 1400m). I know it is 1400m but we will get a Good track at Ellerslie hopefully and she has won over 1400m in the Soliloquy at Auckland.
“If we got a reasonable track (at Te Rapa) we would be rapt and she would be very competitive. The weather looks alright for the next week so fingers crossed we can get to Te Rapa.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
