Co-trainer Ciaron Maher is expecting Group 1 winner Kenedna to fire second up when she sports the blinkers again in the Group 2 $250,000 Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday.
Kenedna, above, will have the blinkers back on in the Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Kenedna has a fifty per cent winning record second up and Maher can see her being very competitive with the head gear going back on.
“She generally fires second-up,” Maher told AAP.
“First-up she just hasn’t got the turn of foot over the 1400 metres but over the mile she can travel that bit easier and she’s in pretty good order.”
“She ran well second-up at The Valley over a mile last preparation and it’s a similar type scenario. She seems in very good order.”
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Kenedna was always in the second half of the field when a first up seventh of eleven in the Group 2 $200,000 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 17 but the stable was happy with the effort.
“Her run was very good first-up,” Maher said.
“Her last sectional was quite strong.”
Kenedna has drawn in the middle of the field at barrier seven in the fifteen horse Feehan Stakes field and will be ridden by regular partner John Allen.
The Group 1 $5.15m Stella Artois Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 19 is Kenedna’s main 2019 Spring Carnival goal and Maher is happy with the way the mare is progressing in the early part of her Spring Carnival campaign.
“I couldn’t be happier with the way she’s ticking along,” Maher said.
Kenedna was able to claim two Group 1 victories in the first half of the year with a win in the $1m Coolmore Legacy Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Day Two of The Championships on April 13 and a win in the $700,000 Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Early betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Feehan Stakes has Kenedna marked as a $10 chance while the Liam Howley trained Homesman, who carries the Williams family’s blue and white colours, heads the market order at $4.80.
Betting for the 2019 Feehan Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.80 Homesman, $5 Best Of Days, $6 Sikandarabad, $9.50 Fifty Stars, The Chosen One, $10 Kenedna, $11 Yulong Prince, $15 Surprise Baby, $18 Mr Marathon Man, $21 Beau Balmain, $26 Mahamedeis, $31 Trap For Fools, $34 Neufbosc, $51 Gallic Chieftain, $91 Harlem
