Ozzie Kheir has an impressive string of spring contenders to look forward to across Melbourne and Sydney on Saturday, but also front of mind for the successful owner is a comparatively lowly maiden at Geelong on Friday.
When Savabeel filly Exuberance (NZ) (Savabeel) contests the race for three-year-old fillies over 1140 metres, it will be the first horse to race in Kheir’s colours for Matamata (New Zealand) and Cranbourne-based trainer Mark Walker.
“I met Mark for lunch and really enjoyed his company and passion towards horses,” Kheir said this week.
“He is obviously extremely good at his work to achieve what he has in New Zealand and I’m very excited to have him train this filly, who looks a really nice type.”
Kheir is not alone in expecting Exuberance to start the relationship with a prominent showing on Friday, as Walker sees plenty of quality in the unraced filly.
“She’s shown a lot in our trials in New Zealand and jumped out well at Cranbourne, so we think she’s a nice filly,” Walker said from Cranbourne on Wednesday morning.
“She can go a little bit keen, but she’s got a lot of untapped natural ability.”
Kheir has also sent Walker a homebred Frankel two-year-old who Walker said is likely to one day make her mark.
“She’s more of a staying type of filly,” Walker explained. “We will give her a two-year-old prep just to make sure she knows what she’s doing as a three-year-old as she looks an Oaks filly.”
The Cranbourne arm of Walker’s flourishing training business is set to expand this spring after a smaller opening more than a year ago.
“We’ve got 30 boxes completed and they’ve started the next stage with an office block and owners’ area and another 40 boxes and hopefully that will be ready in six-to-eight weeks’ time,” Walker said.
“We won the (New Zealand) premiership last season again and we had a very good season at home. It’s good to have the best of both worlds racing in New Zealand and Australia.
“These days, it’s very easy to bring them across. It’s much easier from Matatama to Cranbourne than it is from Matamata to Trentham. It’s actually easier on them.”
On Saturday, Kheir has shares in the likes of highly talented group Daggers, Nadal, Interpretation and Jimmysstar at Flemington, as well as Bustling and Molly Bloom at Rosehill.
