Jamie Kah enjoyed a far better journey on Second Slip (NZ) (Alamosa) than did Mark Zahra just seven days ago after Melbourne’s champion rider took him to a convincing win at Caulfield on Saturday.
Zahra was sent to hospital for scans and was subsequently sidelined with soreness for two weeks after Second Slip dumped him pre-race at Flemington last Saturday, but he was perfectly behaved this week for Kah, who predicted some good things for the kiwi-bred galloper this spring.
“He’s a horse with a really big action so I think out over a bit further and a bigger track too would suit him – something like Flemington because here is a little bit too tight and sharp for him,” Kah said.
“He’s done really well then. I think he’ll improve this prep and go on and win a nice race.
“He’s just grown up a lot more now. Obviously, he didn’t seem like that last start when he had a bit of a gallop around Flemington by himself.
“He’s just matured into more of a furnished horse. Today he had to stop and start with that weight and he’s done a really good job in the end.”
Now trained by Will Clarken at Morphettville, Second Slip won two starts in New Zealand from the stable of Kevin Gray before being purchased by Bluegrass Bloodstock’s Lenny Russo on behalf of Clarken.
The son of Alamosa has now won six races from 18 starts with his prizemoney earnings swelling to beyond A$200,000.
He went around at $7 on Saturday due largely to his topweight of 61kgs, but he staved off the late-closing Our Wind Spirit (NZ) (Per Incanto) ($13) to win by three quarters of a length with a half neck to Dirty Thoughts (So You Think) ($5.50) in third.
Second Slip is one of several successful horses purchased by Russo on Clarken’s behalf that includes city winners Savatag (NZ) (Alamosa) and Handsome Return (NZ) (Handsome Ransom) who have both comfortably eclipsed their purchase prices with multiple victories across the Tasman.
The son of Alamosa has now won four metropolitan races from six starts since venturing to Australia.
A fan of the Kiwi-bred, Russo has enjoyed good success sourcing tried horse from New Zealand, with other successful Kiwi acquisitions including Count da Vinci (NZ) (Faltaat), The Willybe (NZ) (Alamosa), Lucky for All (NZ) (Tavistock), Open Minded (NZ) (Jimmy Choux), Akamon (NZ) (Castledale), Parliament (Crowded House) and Banstead (NZ) (Zacinto).
