Asking Nicely Pays Off

Karaka graduate Ask Me Nicely (NZ) (Ustinov) raced to a well-earned stakes victory in the A$110,000 Listed Riklan Emergency Management Services-Boulder Cup (2100m) at Western Australia’s Kalgoorlie Racing Club.

A winner of 10 races, this is Ask Me Nicely’s first success at black-type level after placing on five occasions in stakes races, including in the Group 2 Perth Cup. Trained by Fred Kersley, this was his second start in the new season after finishing second in the Listed Farnely Stakes at his last start.

“It was a great performance by the old boy,” commented Kersley. “I am very pleased with his run and he coped very well stepping up to the longer distance after running 1400m in his last start – it just goes to show what a great type of horse he is to be able to do that at his age.

“He will race again in the Kalgoorlie Cup next Sunday.”

Starting from barrier 5 for jockey Shaun O’Donnell, Ask Me Nicely raced just behind the pace. When produced in the straight, the son of Ustinov sprinted to the front to win by half-a-length, defeating Already Famous (Viscount) and Woodsville (Blackfriars) who finished in second and third place respectively.

The flashy grey has amassed A$563,545 in career earnings for his owners Mr P Kerr, Mr R P Webb, Mr I J Cunningham, Mr W Kerr, Mr R Kerr, Mr B J Growden, Mr D M Hugo, Mr J D Musca, Mr T A Taylor and Mr D Wallace.

The nine-year-old gelding was purchased by Michael Rocke at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2008 Karaka Select Sale for $37,500 from Brighthill Farm.

Bred by Seven Creeks Estate Pty Ltd, Ask Me Nicely is out of stakes winning Took A Chance (Unbridled’s Song), winner of the Listed Talindert Stakes, and is the dam of six foals to race, five of them are winners.

Ask Me Nicely was one of many Karaka graduates to win over the weekend, with Australian stakes-winner Kermadec (NZ) (Teofilo), winning the Group 1 George Main Stakes, along with Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel), Windborne (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Kindaleica (NZ) (Captain Rio), all stakes-winners across Australia and New Zealand.