Coolmore stallion Home Affairs has posted his first stakes winner on New Year’s Day — and did so in style — with sons Kinnaird and Harvey Wallbanger fighting out the finish of the Group 2 Skycity Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie.
The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Kinnaird prevailed in the all-Home Affairs quinella, enhancing Te Akau Racing’s already formidable hand ahead of the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) later this month.
Kinnaird, who made a winning debut over 1100m at Otaki in November, brought up his second win from as many starts with a performance that highlighted both ability and upside.
From a wide draw, jockey Opie Bosson elected to ease the colt back and settle on the fence, before threading his way through along the inside in the home straight. Kinnaird responded strongly, running down stablemate Harvey Wallbanger to score by just over a length.
“I wanted to come out, but he was a bit horse-shy of the horse outside of me, so he gave me no choice but to come back in,” Bosson said.
“Once he balanced up, he’s got a good finish on him. As soon as I asked the question he really knuckled down and wanted to win, which is what you need in a colt going into a Karaka Millions.”
Bosson is no stranger to success in the Karaka Millions, having ridden five Te Akau-trained juveniles to victory in the rich feature, and believes Kinnaird has the tools to add another.
“He’s got a lot of upside about him,” Bosson said. “He’s still learning and we’ve still got the option of putting the blinkers on too.”
Co-trainer Mark Walker was full of praise for Bosson’s handling of the inexperienced colt.
“It was an Opie of old ride — that was a brilliant ride,” Walker said. “He’s still new, still green and did a few things wrong, but the experience and class of Opie got him through.”
Te Akau Racing have dominated the Karaka Millions 2YO in recent years, winning eight of the past nine editions, and Walker is confident Kinnaird will take his place in this year’s race.
“We’re on the right track. It was a nice win,” Walker said. “He’ll go straight in to the Karaka Millions.”