Kissinger (NZ) Claims Pakenham Cup

Lightly raced seven-year-old Kissinger (NZ) (Tavistock) has richly rewarded the patience of his connections, stepping up to stakes level for the first time and winning Saturday’s A$300,000 Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m).

Kissinger was a $52,500 purchase at the 2017 Premier Sale at Karaka by Nigel Tiley, who trained him to win two of his three starts in New Zealand at the beginning of his career. The gelding has now had a total of 25 starts for seven wins, seven placings and A$449,123 in prizemoney.

Kissinger had earned Saturday’s blacktype opportunity with a strong run of form through the spring, recording two wins and two placings from four appearances between September and November.

Saturday brought more of the same, but this time at stakes level. He was ridden by Damien Oliver, who settled in third-last before launching a long, sustained run and overpowering his opposition down the Pakenham straight. He swept past them and went clear, opening up a winning margin of two lengths.

“He’s just gone from strength to strength,” Oliver said. “I noticed him early in this preparation when l was riding against him, and I thought he's a horse I'd like to get on.

“I managed to get on him and we've clicked. Sometimes you just really click with horses, and we have. He's a lovely stayer, got a beautiful attitude and he certainly makes your job a bit easier. I was following a couple of nice horses, and he just chimed in at the right time.

“He's progressed really well this horse. He's a whisker off having four straight wins, which would have been quite a record, so he's a really nice progressive stayer.”

Kissinger is trained by Lindsey Smith, who had stable representative Caitlin McLarn overseeing Saturday’s meeting at Pakenham.

“I was pretty confident to be honest,” McLarn said. “He (Oliver) him a perfect ride, and the horse was just super good to the line.

“He had a good preparation early on, he just had a few unlucky runs, maybe not the best rides, but he's been so consistent.

“He's been up for nearly a whole year now, he's just done a great job, he just keeps bouncing back after each run and he's thriving off his racing.

“The Bagot Handicap (Listed, 2800m) on New Year’s Day has been thrown around as an idea. He’s won this quite convincingly today. I'd say if he pulls up well, then Lindsey might head that way.”

Vendor	Millfield Stud
Purchaser	Mr N Tiley (Auckland)
Breeding	Tavistock – Berlin Belle
Sale	Lot 66, 2017 Premier Sale, $52,500
Bred by	P Setchell