Profile – Kelinni

There are certain races that Kevin would love to win in his training career, fortunately he has won many of them but there are still plenty to tick of the list. They might not be the biggest or richest prizes but they hold some significance. The marathon that is the Chester Cup is one race that he would love to have on his CV and last year at the Tattersalls horses in training sale, Kevin believed he might have found the horse who could possibly challenge in the 2m2f event. 

The Chester Cup requires stamina and class so when Kelinni passed through the sales ring he looked the obvious choice. Having finished fourth in the Melbourne Cup in 2012 he showed that he obviously had the class. The race is run at Flemington, a turning track that is run left handed, which has similar characteristics to Chester so there was another positive as Steve and Kevin bid £70,000 to secure the then 6 year old. Kelinni had won up to 1m4 1/2f and after a successful career in Australia, he had shown a good level of form in Britain for Marco Botti. All the feedback from the Botti yard was positive and they assured Kevin he had purchased a very talented horse, but nobody could quite imagine where the season would take him. 

DEBUT

From the  moment Kelinni began to work on the gallops he showed why Kevin had paid so much for him. The class shone through and he was working with some very good horses. For a horse that had shown so much stamina in the past is was amazing to see the amount of speed he possessed but class horses usually do. 

Kelinni was impressing more and more with each gallop and by March he was ready to run. He had an official mark of 95 which Kevin thought may be on the border of whether he would get a run or not in a race like the Chester Cup. He would need to gain a few pounds to ensure a run and it was only a couple of months before the race, with very little on the turf to aim for. So his first run would be a trip down to Lingfield over 1m4f.

There was a lot of confidence behind Kelinni and after witnessing his work the team felt he should take all the beating. To add to the confidence Ryan Moore was in the saddle, a partner second to none. 

All started well and Ryan settled him off the pace, hoping to utilize a turn of foot he had shown in past races. It was a fair gallop set by the leaders and it looked as though the race would be set up for Kelinni as he breezed through the first few furlongs. Although it was a long race the confidence grew even with so far left to run but Kelinni just travelled with such ease it was hard not to be impressed. 

The leader was aiming to dictate from start to finish and Ryan sensed that a long way from home. With over 5f to run he edged closer, making sure he had the leaders in his sights. Still travelling well Kelinni was looking more and more dangerous. The leaders soon took the field into the home bend and that’s when the race began to heat up. The leader kicked off the bend and quickly took a couple of lengths out of the field. Kelinni was in a perfect position to strike and Ryan quickly asked him to go after the leader. Unfortunately the turn of foot was not there and Kelinni suddenly went from travelling strongly to beaten. It was a flat effort, one that visually was hard to explain. Ryan’s de-brief brought a little more light to the situation, feeling as though he didn’t handle coming down the hill and a step up in trip would suit him better. 

First Win

So with the thoughts after Kelinni’s debut effort, Kevin set his sights on the turf. The first port of call came just 3 weeks later on a wet and cold Scottish afternoon at Musselburgh. It was a similar standard of race but over a further two furlongs, 1m6f. The ground was very soft and the racing was proving to be a real test. With form over further, this looked as though it could play into the hands of Kelinni and so there was a little bit of confidence building. 

From a wide draw Kelinni ended up further down the field than Jamie (Spencer) would have liked and only had one other rival behind him. He held this position for much of the race before making headway with half a mile left to run. Kelinni laid down a good challenge and easily passed the majority of the field before his run petered out. After taking fourth position he could make no further impact and ended up finishing in this position. It was a decent effort but one that made Kevin and Jamie feel that he didn’t in fact stay the extra distance.

It was definitely going to be a drop in trip next time out and the next race was going to be local as Kelinni was set to run over 1m4f at Thirsk. For the third run in succession he was due to have a different jockey as this time Amy took the ride. Kevin had felt that a change of tactics should also come into play and thought a more positive approach was required. 

From the start Amy tried to be positive and she managed to get Kelinni latched on to the leaders, sat around third place. The pace was sedate and this did cause Kelinni to take quie a keen hold but Amy was well up to the challenge. Thirsk does have some tight bends and Kelinni was cutting off every corner possible on his way round. It was obvious that the race was going to turn into a sprint as the pace was stop-start, but when it did Amy was ensuring she was in the best position possible to strike. 

Kelinni travelled well all the way through the race, almost too well. He was certainly making Amy earn her riding fee but as the field rounded the home bend he was perfectly positioned to mount a serious challenge. Thirsk has a nice long straight, allowing plenty of time to line up a run, which was exactly what Amy was waiting for. Kelinni was travelling so strongly and it looked as though it was a matter of when. With 2f to run he pulled himself to the lead and that is when Amy let him go. Kelinni pulled a length clear and it looked all over at that point. Moving inside the final furlong the stride just started to shorten and the gap began to dwindle. The runner up laid down one last challenge, but with the urgings of Amy, Kellini found a little bit more and stayed on well to win by 1/2 length. 

It was a good win for Kelinni, who justified some of his price after just three runs. It was a decent prize to pick up, it was a competitive race and now connections could look towards the bigger meetings and take their chances. One thing was decided that day though, there would be no tilt at the Chester Cup, he definitely wouldn’t stay that far. 

Bigger and Better Things

Kelinni had done a job and now it was time for him to tackle better races at better meetings for better prize money. There would be no Chester Cup but that didn’t mean all was lost. Looking through the calendar you could find so many quality middle distance handicaps. After his in at Thirsk the handicapper has raised Kelinni to 98 so his next run was going to be a step up in class. Newmarket was the chosen venue on Guineas weekend, to take part in the 0-105 1m4f handicap. 

Kelinni was well supported for the contest but with a favourites price of 5-1, it just showed how competitive the race was. The new tactics had seemed to please Kelinni last time out so they were put in place again. Jamie Spencer was back on board and successfully got his mount into a great position early on, just sitting of the leaders. As he had done at Thirsk, Kelinni travelled supremely well throughout the race and 2f out looked like mounting a serious challenge. Whilst the rest quickened, Kelinni couldn’t go with them and instead stayed on one paced. Finishing fifth in such a competitive race was no disgrace and he once again picked up prize money.

Newmarket on Guineas weekend

He had had quite a few runs in a short space of time so Kevin decided that Kelinni should freshen up and then head to Royal Ascot. The Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes was the race chosen and Kelinni went there after a nice month gap between runs. It was a very similar race to Newmarket and 14-1 looked a fair price for Kelinni. Looking through the race it seemed as though all the pace was drawn wide so there was no obvious front runner. Jamie, along with Kevin decided to take the race from the start, if allowed, and try to control. This tactic worked out and as soon as the gates opened Kelinni leapt into the lead. For the first half furlong it all went to plan but then things went a little differently. The second placed horse was running a bit free which in turn lit up Kelinni. He wasn’t keen but the pace certainly picked up and for a 1m4f race it was going to be very testing. Ascot is a stiff track, so front running is very hard but it is almost impossible when you are not allowed to run as you want. Kelinni stuck on gamely for a long way but early in the home straight he was passed and that was the end of his race. It was obvious he hadn’t run his race as the winner and third placed horses had only just finished ahead of him at Newmarket. Jamie just said he was racing from too far out, but there was one important thing, he felt a drop to 1m2f may suit even more. 

A line was drawn through the Ascot run, it just hadn’t worked out, but rather than sit back and find an easy opportunity, Kevin looked towards one of the most competitive handicaps of the year. Next run was to be in the John Smith’s Cup, a 1m2f event at York.

Shane Gray took the ride and he was to take off a valuable 3lb. Kevin had been impressed with Kelini’s front running and he felt that was the best way to go in this race. Unfortunately there looked plenty of pace in the race so it could prove difficult. When the time came it actually proved to be the complete opposite. Shane kicked him out of the stalls and easily crossed over to take the lead, being allowed to stride on into a length advantage. It was a surprise to get such an easy lead in an ultra competitive race but Shane didn’t hang around to ask questions, he made sure it was going to be a test. Kelinni really laid it down to the rest of the field and was free wheeling throughout the first half of the race. Heading into the bend he held a good couple of lengths advantage but it looked as though the other jockeys felt comfortable, feeling they could easily reign in the leader whose younf jockey had gone of too quickly. 

The run in at York is a good 3 1/2 furlongs and Kelinni entered it with a healthy advantage. Shane just continued to give him his head and the pace maintained at high level. With 3f left to run some of the others began to get nervy and they soon had to work to cut the deficit. Shane kicked Kelinni on and entering the last couple of furlongs he held a 3 length lead with little else making an impression. Eventual winner, Master Carpenter, moved up to challenge and looked a huge danger. Kelinni lost the lead entering the final furlong and that looked like that. Showing great tenacity and with Shane driving him on, Kelinni battled back. He cut back into the lead and bravely went down by just a neck, coming so close to that  massive prize. 

It was an effort that showed guts, bravery and class but it also showed that Kelinni may just have found his trip. 

Going close in the John Smiths Cup

Another New Distance

A return to York followed at another major meeting but this time Kelinni was taking a big step up in grade. He took on the Group 2 Sky Bet Stakes over 1m2f with yet another new jockey as Neil Callan took the ride. From the start it was a carbon copy of the John Smiths Cup, taking the lead and travelling strongly. Unfortunately there was no fairytale as he weakened under pressure and could only manage fifth. It was a respectable run but there was something that Neil said that would hold the key to the rest of the season. Kelinni showed so much pace that a new trip would be required. 

For the third time in a row Kelinni would head to York, for the Ebor meeting. Amazingly he was to tackle the 1 mile handicap, half the distance of the Melbourne Cup. Now off a mark of 102 Kevin decided he needed some weight taking off so Gary Halpin was flown in from Ireland to utilize his 5lb claim. 

The tactics were simple but surely he couldn’t implement them this time. Kelinni had shown an affinity with front running but this was over a mile, he wouldn’t have the pace to lead quality 1 mile specialists!!! Gary set out to try and from the stalls he fired Kelinni out with a bit of rousting along. Amazingly he took the lead with ease and after half a furlong he had a good couple of length advantage. Just like the previous couple of runs the rest of the field left him alone, happy to sit and wait. Gary was not hanging around turned the screw throughout the contest. The pace was frantic and everyone watching was just sat waiting for Kelinni to curl up and get passed by. Round the bend and into the straight the lead was easily up to 3/4 lengths. Nobody was panicking in behind but neither was Gary and he looked quietly confident. The race moved to the business end and now the panic buttons were being pressed but Kelinni still travelled and held a 3 length lead. Surely he couldn’t hold on?? The field began to close and as they moved inside the final furlong, it was only then that Gary went for his mount. Kelinni stayed on, he battled, he hung on but just a mere 75 yards from the line he cracked and got headed. It was a huge effort but he couldn’t quite do it, eventually Kelinni had to settle for third, but it was a very impressive third. 

Irish Champions Weekend

The Grey Gatsby was all the talk leading into Irish Champions Weekend but it was Kelinni who came home with all the plaudits. Amazingly he took another step back in trip, to 7f as he lined up in the final race, the E150,000 premier handicap. It was quite incredible to think that Kelinni was due to run in a race that was almost at the minimal distance, a sprint when at one point he ran in the race that stopped a nation, one that is a true test of stamina. 

After his fantastic effort at York, Kelinni was backed into favouritism and it was Gary Halpin who kept the ride. Tactics were once again simple but once again it surely wasn’t possible to lead over another furlong shorter. Well as the stalls opened Kelinni again shocked everyone as he sprinted into the lead and towed the field along, a field made up of very good and very quick 7f horses. Unlike York, Gary knows Leopardstown well and he set a nice gallop, dictating the race from the outset. It was a fair pace, quick enough to test but nothing too silly. The length lead was substantial and the field were well strung out from the early stages. Kelinni looked happy out in front and just strode on, allowing Gary to drop his hands ready for when he would be needed. 

The pace didn’t relent throughout the race and Kelinni always held a nice lead over the field. By halfway the track rises and it is quite a sharp increase. Rather than slow down, Kelinni actually quickened up the hill and extended his lead. By now he had a couple of lengths on the rest and turning for home Gary gave a little squeeze. The rest tried to lay down a challenge but when Gary pressed the button Kelinni responded, kicking clear. That was it, Kevin knew there was no catching him now, he would stay and he would battle. Gary was in full drive and Kelinni was not for stopping. The eventual runner up made late progress to cut the deficit but the race had been won 1 1/2 furlongs earlier. Kelinni had laid it down to the field and they just couldn’t live with him. With a fist pump Gary showed just what a winner on that weekend meant. 

Kelinni would run once more but it proved to be a step too far after a long season. He went to America for the Keeneland Mile, a Group 1 contest. Mother nature was not kind and the ground turned very soft. This proved too much for Kelinni and he could on finish mid-division in a very good race. 

2016

There is no possible way anyone could envisage what journey Kelinni would take his owners on. At the age of 7 he just continued to get quicker and quicker surprising everyone. He has always been a class act but it was almost as though he had a new lease of life. After some huge efforts he finished the season on an official mark of 111, so this is going to determine how 2016 will pan out. 

Handicaps are going to prove very difficult. Off such a high mark he will have to give weight away to very good horses which could always prove difficult. The Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot may be an option this season as many of the runners would prove to be highly handicapped, reducing the amount of weight difference. 

More likely it will be a tilt at group company for Kelinni. He has done everything asked of him and there is no reason to think that he wouldn’t make the step up in grade. He could easily start off in a group 3 event over 7f or a mile and this would definitely give Kevin an idea of just where he could go. 

Although 8 years old now, Kelinni shows no signs of slowing down. He has come back as well as ever and is acting more of a 2 year old than the 2 year olds. He still looks fantastic and there are plenty of reasons to think that he could once again have a very successful season. Whatever happens he proved to be a revelation and certainly given all connections the fun they expected, although the races take a little less time to watch than expected.