Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent is gradually getting a team of racehorses back together but exciting staying prospect Kinane won’t be one of them.
Having started his career with Kent, Kinane transferred to Chris Waller’s care for an autumn campaign when his former trainer headed overseas for a trip of a lifetime.
However, coronavirus cut short Kent’s adventure and forced the trainer home earlier than anticipated.
While Kent is slowly restocking a newly built stable complex at Cranbourne, Kinane will continue racing with Waller.
“He’s in Chris’ system and the weather is warmer up there, so he can stay up there, at least for the spring anyway,” Kent said.
Kent had hoped to tick off a number of “bucket-list” items on his overseas holiday, intending to be away for several months.
He attended the four-day Cheltenham Festival in the UK in March and was in Ireland ahead of heading home.
“I got Cheltenham in, which was good, as it’s the best race meeting I’ve been to,” Kent said.
“Then we went off to Ireland where I have a horse with Willie Mullins.
“I was there for St Patrick’s Day, but it was closed, there wasn’t a pub open, a restaurant, anything.
“We didn’t want to come home, but it became pointless, everything was shut, Italy was out of bounds, we had booked Spain, but it was out of bounds too.
“It was so disappointing but at the end of day we’re home, we’re healthy and we’re better off than a lot of people.”
Since being home, Kent has concentrated on getting his new on-course stables in order while also looking at developing a farm he recently purchased.
Kent says he will gradually build race numbers in coming weeks.
“I’ll probably have a couple of runners at Seymour on Thursday,” Kent said.
“I’ve got three nominated for Flemington on Saturday, but after a quick look at the fields I probably won’t have a runner.”
One of those Flemington nominations is Leale who provided former jockey Catherine (Tremayne) Hutchinson her first city winner as a trainer.
Leale is among 19 nominations for Saturday’s feature, the Listed AR Creswick Stakes for three-year-olds, that has King Of Hastings and impressive country winner Front Page among entries.
