Prior knowledge can often be an advantage in racing and it was certainly the case when Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick bought Cabochon Lil as a yearling.
Kendrick went to $160,000 for the daughter of Sebring out of the unraced mare My Girl Lil, who is closely related to champion mare Tycoon Lil.
“I trained My Girl Lil and she showed us enormous potential. She was flying on the track but just before she was ready to race she fractured a sesamoid bone,” Kendrick said.
“We gave her plenty of time but when it was obvious she couldn’t race we sent her to Sebring and sold her at the Magic Millions Sales for $330,000 as an in-foal broodmare.
“I kept my eye out for the foal because I knew how good My Girl Lil could have been.
“When I saw the foal in the Melbourne Inglis Sales I flew down and bought her.”
Cabochon Lil showed it could be money well spent with an eye-catching run at her first start when third at Doomben three weeks ago.
She came out of the barriers slowly and was giving the leaders eight lengths before charging home her final 600m in 33.14.
Kendrick is disappointed Cabochon Lil has drawn barrier 12 in the Two-Year-Old Handicap (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday but hopes it will not to be a total disaster.
“She has a habit of being a bit slow to go but hopefully she can take up a position and get home strongly again,” he said.
Kendrick is leaving his options open with Cabochon Lil but is eyeing two Inglis races with her.
“There is a $250000 Inglis race in December and then the big $2 million race in February,” he said.
“They will be strong races but our two-year-old races are getting stronger each year so I should have an idea how she will measure up.”
