New Zealand-bred Kirramosa prevailed in a three-horse fight to the finish in the Crown Oaks (Aus-I) Nov. 7 at Flemington.
The 5-2 favorite after going last to first in the Wakeful Stakes (Aus-II) Nov. 2, Kirramosa won by a head from Zanbagh, with pacesetter Solicit hanging for third, a short half head back in the 10-horse field.
Solicit took command soon after the start and opened a long lead entering the backstretch as Zanbagh tracked from second while Kirramosa stalked from fourth, then fifth, several lengths back.
Zanbagh closed the gap on Solicit by about three lengths entering the straight as jockey Nash Rawiller called upon Kirramosa, who readily responded and lengthened her stride. She engaged Zanbagh 250 meters out and the pair reached Solicit in unison in the final 50 meters. But Kirramosa thrust her head out at the finish line for the victory.
Kirramosa covered 2,500 meters (about 1 9/16 miles) in 2:40.64 on turf rated as good and improved her career line to four wins and a second from eight career starts
"We needed every yard of it (Flemington straight), but the way she won today was very good," trainer John Sargent said after landing his second group I win in Australia in the past two years following Quintessential's victory in the 2012 Queensland Oaks. He also owns the Alamosa filly in a partnership that includes breeder Wellfield Lodge.
"She was a bit further forward than I thought she would be, but she jumped well so (Rawiller) just put her up there and put her to sleep; but the big question today was whether she'd back up," Sargent said. "There's not a lot of her, she's only a light filly, but she's got a very good constitution and a great temperament."
Wellfield Lodge stands Kirramosa's sire Alamosa, whose first foals are 3-year-olds this season. A New Zealand champion 3-year-old and an Australian group I winner, Alamosa is a 9-year-old by O'Reilly and ranks prominently among New Zealand's second crop sires.
Kirramosa is out of the unraced Danske mare Freyja, a half sister to Australian group II winner Zareyev. Second dam is 1988 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas (NZ-I) winner Olga's Pal.
