Racing: McKee looks at Karaka double

Hasahalo (outer) nabs Gift Of Power in the Eclipse Stakes. Photo / Trish Dunell

If you backed the favourite, previously unbeaten Gift Of Power in yesterday's $70.000 Barneswood Farm Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie you were unlucky to be beaten by one of the most freakish carnival performances seen.

Hasahalo came from looking an impossible chance when tailed off to beat Gift Of Power in the final stride.

You simply do not win 2-year-old races like that. So remarkable was Hasahalo that winning trainer Stephen McKee thought rider Sam Spratt would pull the Savabeel filly out of the race at the 800m.

"I knew she was going to get back in running, but not like that," said McKee seconds after the small select field flashed over the line.

"Babies generally have to jump and run. I knew she wouldn't be doing that, but how can you fathom that run?"

Last season, McKee won the Karaka Million with Xiong Feng and he will be at even shorter odds this time, four weeks from yesterday on January 29.

The Karaka Million is generally run at a sharp tempo, suiting horses that can run strongly to the line and no 2-year-old in years has run stronger over the last 350m than Hasahalo.

Gift Of Power, who had not previously raced right-handed, sat outside the leader from a wide gate to the home before forging the best part of one length clear at the 250m.

Gift Of Power was not stopping - Hasahalo had to go and grab her.

This was a reverse of the result for the Wakefield Stakes at Trentham, when Hasahalo flew late at Gift of Power, but couldn't get her. "That was a lot better," said McKee.