What galloping giant Kawi did at the start of his trial at Cambridge today thrilled trainer Allan Sharrock just as much as what he did at the end.
And the two combined ensured the joint favourite will take his place in the $250,000 Telegraph at Trentham on Saturday.
Kawi drops back to the 1200m of the Telegraph after spending most of the last three years racing over distances from 1400m to 2000m but after missing a race in late December, trainer Sharrock decided freshening up for the elite sprint was his most logical next target.
But to keep up with the superstars of sprinting Sharrock also knows Kawi needs an edge so the blinkers went on for today's trial and the seven-year-old handled the gear change without a concern, rolling into a strong second over the 935m.
"One of the main aims of today's trial was to get him jumping out of the gate with the blinkers on, because we can't have him being six lengths last out of the gate in the Telegraph."
Kawi handled that beautifully and was cruising in third spot for much of the trial before closing late.
"I would have liked to see more speed in the trial but that obviously won't be a problem next week when they are running 1:07 or 1:08 for the 1200m. He was strong to the line and even better past in."
So can a horse whose best form is over 1400-1600m win the strongest sprint of the season?
"I think he can because the Telegraph races more like a 1400m race. He was good today and we still have 10 days to tighten him up."
Kawi sits atop the Telegraph market alongside Railway winner Volpe Veloce at $5 but he wasn't the only top sprinter on show today as the huge trials meeting basked in some serious heat that saw the track improve from a slow7 overnight to race like a dead 4 or 5. Sacred Star showed he is also on track for the Telegraph when he came from well back to run another Telegraph contender in Ferrando close, also over 935m.
Ferrando beats Sacred Star at the Cambridge trials. Photo / Trish Dunell
"He made up a lot of ground and we know how quick Ferrando is so I am very happy with that," said Sacred Star's trainer Tony Pike.
"We just have to hope now the fine weather continues and we get a good track on Saturday week."
The Telegraph is the same day as the Thorndon Mile this year and the favourite for that race Love Affair pleased her connections with an unhurried third in her 1200m trial today. "She is a pretty laid back mare and she did what she needed to today so she is on track next week," said co-trainer Andrew Forsman.
Love Affair was at the trials today because like Sacred Star she was late scratched from her New Year's Day assignment at Ellerslie after rain on the day saw the track change from dead to slow.
She is the $3.50 favourite for the Thorndon, for which her stablemate Coldplay is now an unlikely starter, with the Westbury Classic, which has been moved to Karaka Million night on January 27, the latter's more likely target.
Hiflyer back on track
A brilliant gallop today has put Hiflyer's Thorndon Mile bid back on track.
Trainer Peter Lock rates the exceptional talent almost certain to head to next week's group one 1600m at Trentham after he thrilled him in trackwork today.
Lock had been toying with the idea of bringing Hiflyer all the way back to 1400m at group one level at Te Rapa on February 10 after his luckless last-start effort in the Zabeel (2000m) when he wasn't suited by the tempo at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
"But the way he galloped this morning I think he is ready for the Thorndon so that is the target now."
Hiflyer drifted slightly to $5 in the Thorndon market after Lock expressed his initial concerns but with the race back on his programme and regular rider Jonathan Parkes to ride he could soon shorten to near equal favouritism with Love Affair.
