Kekova Continues Little Avondale’s Success

Little Avondale Stud is enjoying a run of stakes success with Kekova (Elusive City x Racing Waters) providing a black-type double for the Stud inside a week.

Bred and leased by Sam & Catriona Williams’ Little Avondale Stud, Kekova’s win in yesterday’s $50,000 Listed Pioneer Finance Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1600m) at Tauherenikau comes days after the LA Stud sold Monachee (O’Reilly) won the Listed Dunedin Gold Cup on Saturday.

Kekova is the 23rd stakes winner for her sire Elusive City

Trained by David Haworth & Matt Dixon, five-year-old Kekova proved too strong as she punched away to a two length victory in the feature race of the meeting, bringing up the 1000th race win for her elated jockey Lisa Allpress – the first female jockey in New Zealand’s history to achieve the rare feat.

“We are thrilled that she now has a stakes win to her name,” said Sam Williams.

“We bred her and now lease her to the Bleap Syndicate which is a large group of owners, many who are new to racing, and they are having a great time. They also race Skittle, who we bred, and between the two horses they have won 11 races so the syndicate is doing very well.”

Kekova is a half-sister to the stakes winning and Group 1 placed mare Rapid Kay (Towkay) who died in November last year.

“Losing Rapid Kay was pretty upsetting so to have Kekova win a stakes race really means a lot. She has come through the race well and we will look to target the Group 3 Darley Plate later in the month and then perhaps the Group 1 Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.”

Kekova was offered by Little Avondale Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2009 Premier Sale and has now won six of her 24 starts for over $100,000 in stakes.

Kekova is the 23rd stakes winner for her sire Elusive City who stood at Haunui Farm from 2004 to 2011. Elusive City is also the sire of the Danny O'Brien trained Karaka graduate Adamantium who won January’s Group 3 VRC Standish Handicap and is heading to the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.

Elusive City and Little Avondale Stud will combine again this weekend with the crack mare Xanadu who was bred by the Stud and will line up in Saturday’s Group 1 Waikato Draught Sprint.