Kenedna will go into the 2017 Queensland Oaks as one of the favourites after she returned to winning form in The Roses at Doomben this afternoon.
Kenedna (pictured winning the Auraria Stakes) returned to winning form in the 2017 The Roses at Doomben this afternoon. Photo by: Jenny Barnes
John Allen allowed Kenedna to find her feet in the early stages of The Roses and she was settled well four pairs back on the inside rail.
Allen managed to get Kenedna off the rail at the top of the straight and she was eventually able to find clear running, but Oklahoma Girl came with her as the pair dashed down the outside.
There was contact between the two horses as Kenedna looked to lay in, but Kenedna was easily the strongest on the line and simply outstayed her rival in the final stages of the race.
Allen admitted after the race that not everything went to plan for Kenedna in the run and she didn’t enjoy the heavy surface, but it was her toughness that was able to get her over the line in The Roses.
“She is as tough as nails,” Allen said.
“I got a bit further back than we really planned and she was never really travelling and never really got through the ground great.
“It was her toughness that just got her through.
“She didn’t get around the last corner that well and she wanted to get out a bit, but she is just so tough.
“She should run out the Oaks trip in two weeks.”
Trainer Darren Weir confirmed that Kenedna would head for an Australasian Oaks rematch with Egg Tart in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) in a fortnight and he was quick to pay credit to the ride of the in-form Allen.
“Everything went well,” Weir said.
“She got a lovely run throughout the race.
“The plan was to ride her to make sure that she was finishing off and hopefully that was winning.
“As long as she was finishing the race off for a fortnight’s time.
“It was a great ride.
“He had a plan to probably be a pair closer than what he was, but he is such a good jockey that when things don’t go the way he wants them to he makes the right moves at the right time.
“He works hard behind the scenes and I can’t thank him enough.”
The connections of Oklahoma Girl lodged a protest at the conclusion of The Roses, but after some deliberation it was dismissed by Racing Queensland stewards.
