Sharrock in no rush with stable star

14 July 2015

Australia features more prominently in Allan Sharrock’s longer-term plans for impressive Savabeel galloper Kawi.

The New Plymouth trainer’s immediate focus is attending to serious business on the home front with his exciting rising five-year-old.

“The Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington is an option, but I’m more thinking of the Australian Cup in the autumn for him,” Sharrock said.

“I’d like to get some Group Ones at home with him first.”

A dual black type winner of the Gr.3 Taranaki Cup and the Listed Anniversary Handicap, Kawi hasn’t raced since he powered home for a close third in the Gr.1 Easter Handicap.

“He galloped super this (Tuesday) morning and the way he is I don’t think I’ll have any other choice than to run him first up in the Foxbridge Plate,” Sharrock said.

“He’s not a 1200 metre horse, but he’ll run a bonny race and he did run 1.08.8 when he won first-up at Trentham last year so he’s certainly not slow.”

The Gr.2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate will be run at Te Rapa on August 15 with the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes to follow a fortnight later.

“He will probably have to run on all three days at Hastings, there are very few other options to avoid three trips to the Hawke’s Bay,” Sharrock said.

“He will be most potent on the second and third days, but he is a big, robust horse and he’s a very good traveller so I’m not worried about that.”

Kawi has six wins and seven placings from his 14 career starts with the only blemish in his form line an unplaced run last season in the Gr.1 Levin Classic.

The Savabeel gelding over-raced at Trentham when wearing blinkers for the first and only time. – NZ Racing Desk.

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