Kutchinsky caps O'Brien's day out
Rejuvenated stayer Kutchinsky made it a day to remember for trainer Danny O’Brien with his victory in the Listed $120,000 Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) giving O’Brien a perfect three wins from his first three starters.
After claiming the opening event on the card, the Listed $120,000 Festival Of Racing Stakes (1000m) with two-year-old Excitable Boy, O’Brien then made it two from two when Keep Cool took out the $100,000 Jeune Handicap (2000m).
Coming off a well-beaten fifth in the Mornington Cup behind today’s third-placegetter Tuscan Fire, O’Brien said Kutchinsky had genuine excuses last time around and would now head towards the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) on Monday week.
“In the Mornington Cup, the riderless horse was all over him from the first part of the race and he just couldn’t get a tail into it,” O’Brien said.
“He has been a horse who has been very well looked after and he came to us in really good condition and he’d been very successful for Tony Noonan, he’d won a Group 2 and run second in a Group 1.
“We’re hoping to get back to that sort of level, he’s won a stakes race today and he’ll head to the Adelaide Cup on Monday week and he’ll go there in great form.”
The victory also gave jockey Craig Williams a double after Williams earlier piloted Keep Cool to win Race 2.
Settling in the perfect midfield position one-off the fence with cover, Williams allowed Kutchinsky ($6.50) to stride into the race on the corner however he still had plenty of ground to make up on the leaders as the field straightened.
Just as it appeared Tuscan Fire ($2.45F) would race clear and hold on at the 300 metre mark, Kutchinsky started to quickly eat into the margin, hitting the front at the 100m before racing away to score by one-a-half lengths over Dame Claire ($10), who herself was unlucky not to finish closer after wanting to lay in behind Tuscan Fire in the home straight.
Story by Ben Asgari, to view full Racing Victoria story click here
Photo by Bruno Cannatelli, to view Bruno's website click here