Alabama Lass romps home in Kings Plate
Ken and Bev Kelso’s Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) made her first appearance at the races on Saturday since running second in the Gr.1 Railway Stakes to Crocetti (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) in January, and she turned the tables on the older gelding with aplomb at Ellerslie’s Champions Day meet. Leading from the jump, the 3-year-old filly only extended her lead in the home straight to cross the line 5.3l in front in the Gr.3 Kings Plate, delivering a trans-Tasman double for her sire. It gave her trainers food for thought ahead of a possible Melbourne campaign.
“I’m very proud of her,” Ken Kelso told Loveracing.nz. “She’s a beautiful filly, a little gem. We’ve always known she was capable of something like this.
“She was just unlucky to strike rain-affected tracks in those Group 1 placings in her last two starts. Take nothing away from the horses that beat her in those races, but the rain just dulled her sprint a little bit. Today was a different story.”
A winner of five of her eight starts, including three at Group level, and over NZ$600,000 in prize money, Alabama Lass is the second stakes performer for Commands mare Tabliope after Gr.3-placed gelding Bad ‘n’ Bouj (Deep Field). She is descended from Gr.2 Silver Shadow Stakes winner Seika (Canny Lad).
Triumphant Kewney victory temptes Treasurethe Moment to Sydney
Last start winner of the Gr.2 Angus Armanasco Stakes, Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) delivered a cross-Tasman stakes double for her sire on Saturday, as well as extending her unbeaten streak to six for owners Yulong and trainer Matt Laurie. The 3-year-old filly has yet to be beaten at stakes level, and justified her pre-race favouritism with a dashing 2.25l victory in the Gr.2 Kewney Stakes at Flemington under Damien Lane.
“It is obviously very exciting, but I am relieved,” Laurie told Racing.com post-race. “The writing was on the wall that this could be a great race for her second-up, but Damian was able to slot her in perfectly. The way she travelled up, she just takes herself there, and you know she’s got so much under the bonnet. The world is her oyster.
“Yulong have been great to me. This is clearly the best horse we’ve had, and we’ve had a few handy ones over the years, but she’s next level.”
The daughter of Yulong resident Alabama Express takes her record to seven wins in nine starts and over $1.4 million in prize money.
Yulong victory out west with Glasgow Lass
After a superb Saturday with dual victories by his 3-year-old fillies, Alabama Express found himself represented by another filly stakes winner on Sunday; it was another of his Yulong-owned daughters in Glasgow Lass, who struck at Ascot to claim the Listed Ascot 1000 Guineas. Trained by Mitchell Pateman, the 3-year-old proved too good for the rest of the field, beating Machine Gun Gracie (Maschino) by 0.42l in her first black type win.
“She’s had a career of no luck where things have just never gone right for her,” said Pateman. “But I’ve been confident all prep, she’s been flying. She should have probably won the first two that she ran in with a bit of luck.
“Lucy (Fiore) gave her a beautiful ride today and she showed how good she is.”
Plans are to head for a Gr.3 WATC Oaks next. Pateman extended his gratitude to Yulong’s team for their patience with the filly.
Glasgow Lass is the first winner for dual-winning Princess Peggy (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), a half-sister to Gr.2 Tristarc Stakes winner Infinite Grace (Prince Of Birds {USA}), from the close family of Group performer Pretty In Pink (Sebring) and Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes winner Fontein Ruby (Turffontein). She is also the fourth stakes winner for Alabama Express. Princess Peggy is carrying a full sister to Glasgow Lass at the moment.
Written for TTRAusNZ
