In-form mare looks to extend winning streak up in trip
Olivia Cairns’ frustration with Kobability has been replaced with confidence and on Thursday they will look to complete a winning hat-trick at Ipswich.
The five-year-old daughter of Kobayashi is out to back-up wins in a Doomben maiden and Sunshine Coast 0-58 in the Vince Insurance Class 2 Plate (1690m) that rounds out the card.
They are the first two wins of a career that now stretches 20 starts and Cairns is relieved to have seen her turn it around.
“Her work’s always been super – she’s always worked good enough to win a race anywhere in the world – so it got quite frustrating that she could work so good but do so bad,” Cairns said.
“But on the physical side of it, she just wasn’t strong enough to maintain the strength for racing.
“This time in, from the get-go, she was a lot stronger and she came back in with a lot more condition on her.
“She’s held her condition, has looked a lot better and lot stronger and she’s going well.”
Kobability, who joined Cairns after finishing last on debut when trained by Kelly Schweida, has led all of the way to win her past two starts, over 1350m at Doomben before a 1600m win last time out.
She rises another 90m in trip this week, which Cairns is slightly cautious about that, but she hopes that is offset by her racing style, which can be advantageous at Ipswich.
“I would have probably rather it be a mile (1600m) – I think a mile might pull her up – so whether she’ll see that out is my only concern,” Cairns said.
“But her customary role seems to be to race up in the first four or handy and get that nice roll along, because she gives you a length on straightening and then maintains it and I think that’s where she’s winning her races.”
Cejay Graham, who partnered Kobability to victory at the Sunshine Coast, retains the ride at Ipswich with the pair to jump from barrier six in the field of 13.
