Kelinni has further cemented his place at the top of the market for the Sydney Cup with a confidence-boosting victory in his lead-up at Randwick on Saturday.
The imported gelding who rose through the ranks in the spring to run fourth in the Melbourne Cup, sustained a long sprint to win the Listed JRA Plate (2000m).
Kelinni - Photo by Steve Hart
Sent out the $5 favourite on the heavy track, Kelinni had 1-1/4 lengths on Fibrillation ($8) with a neck to Pirate Bay ($9.50) third.
“He is a quality horse and he had the fitness to tough it out,” Waller said.
“He’s been one run behind all the way this preparation and needed to run well today to get ready for the Sydney Cup.
“He ran well in the BMW for fourth but three weeks between runs would have been too long and we needed to make sure he was not one run short.”
Waller said he had no concerns about the seven-day back-up into the 3200m Cup.
“We won’t know until Saturday but he backed up three days after winning the Lexus to run fourth in the Melbourne Cup,” he said.
“He needs to do a bit more to justify heading to the Melbourne Cup again and the Sydney Cup is the right race.
“It’s a shame it isn’t worth more. The BMW is a $2 million lead-up and then it falls away.
“That’s something for the Sydney administrators but we need to bridge the gap.”
The Group One Sydney Cup carries prize money of $500,000.
Nash Rawiller rode Kelinni on Saturday but Jim Cassidy will replace him in the Sydney Cup.
Rawiller will ride the Gai Waterhouse-trained Julienas who won an enforced trial on Friday after his failure in last week’s Chairman’s Quality.
Maluckyday finished third in the trial and is the $6 second elect behind Kelinni ($4.20) for the Sydney Cup with Chairman’s winner and runner-up, Tremec and Blood Brotha at $10 and Julienas at $11.
