Gelded Kementari Ready for Return

The Rosehill meeting on Saturday features some top class racing and the return of charismatic Lonhro five year-old Kementari, who bowed out of racing as a stallion last March and returns as a gelding.

The James Cummings trained Kementari was slated to return last Saturday, but has been held back for the Group III ATC Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m), which is seen as a better option.

“He drew wide over 1,100m last week and we decided to delay his return for this event,” said Cummings.

“A favourable draw and the 1,200m is more appealing and more in his hitting zone.

“It’s up to the horse to fulfil his destiny.”

Kementari has never lacked for talent and his two recent barrier trials would indicate he may have come back as a racehorse better than ever.

Kementari won the Group I ATC Randwick Guineas last year beating Pierata and Trapeze Artist before finishing third to Winx in the Group I ATC George Ryder Stakes and retired to Darley in the Hunter Valley at a fee of $33,000.

He attracted a terrific book of mares, but it was not long before fertility problems arose curtailing his career as a commercial sire.

Darley moved swiftly to manage the situation with all mare owners able to make alternate plans so as not to disrupt their breeding season.

Just two of the 53 mares Kementari covered in 2019 tested positive and they are Macquarie Stud’s Bernardini (USA) mare With Care and Canning Downs owned Encosta de Lago mare Mithila, a half-sister to Group III winner Murjana from the Twyla branch of the Dancing Show family.

A stunning looking son of champion sire Lonhro, who has proven such a success as a sire of sires, Kementari is a horse that has always generated huge interest.

His fans will no doubt be keen to follow his fortunes both on the track and through what happens with these two precious mares that will produce his only foals later this year.