New Zealand trainer Ken Kelso will attempt to break a long-standing hoodoo when he saddles Legarto in the Australian Guineas at Flemington.
Since the inception of the Group 1 1600m race for three-year-olds in 1986, no New Zealand-trained galloper has been successful, but Kelso is hoping to change that on Saturday.
Beaten just once in six starts, Legarto arrived at Mike Moroney’s Flemington stable on Wednesday morning to prepare for Saturday’s contest.
It is six weeks since Legarto finished fourth in the Karaka Millions (1600m) at Pukehoe which followed wins in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Riccarton and the Group 2 Eight Carat at Pukehoe.
Kelso, who trains the filly in partnership with his wife Bev, said Legarto was afforded a break following her Karaka Millions performance, her only defeat, which the trainer blamed on an inside draw.
“She drew one and she’s always been a fraction tardy away, then she got stuck down on the inside and had no luck,” Kelso said.
“From barrier nine it would be nice to be not too far off them.
“She lacks a little bit of ringcraft, even after six starts, as she takes a little bit of time to get organised in the straight.”
Even though the filly has not raced for six weeks, Kelso is of the opinion she is spot on for Saturday.
“After a little break, we gave her a trial at Cambridge on the synthetic,” Kelso said.
“I would have preferred not to, but we didn’t have too many options with our weather in New Zealand at the time.
“She got through that trial and then we worked her up with Levante before she went to Otaki and she (Legarto) worked as well as her which gave us the confidence we were pretty much on track.
“She had an exhibition gallop on Saturday at Matamata and she has had the trip over here which is like another couple of gallops.
“She had a bit of a walk yesterday, (Wednesday), she’s had about a 4km walk today and Michael Dee will come in tomorrow morning and give her a jog around the small track.
“I’m pretty certain that she is pretty right.”
Kelso is holding off retirement in the hope of securing a Group 1 win in Australia having prepared three seconds at the highest level.
He said if the filly was successful on Saturday, it would entice him to keep going a little longer.
“It’s the owner’s dream to hopefully win a Cox Plate, so we might have to come back in the spring if everything goes well this time,” Kelso said.
