Kolding (NZ) Claims Third Group One Victory

A good track was the only thing top-class Karaka graduate Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park) needed to make a triumphant return to the peak of his powers in Saturday’s A$600,000 Group One Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick. 

It was the third Group One win for Kolding, who was a $170,000 purchase by Mulcaster Bloodstock at the 2017 Premier Sale. He had previously captured the Epsom Handicap (1600m) and George Main Stakes (1600m), along with the inaugural A$7.5m Golden Eagle (1500m). He has now had 30 starts for 11 wins, seven placings and A$6.38m in stakes – more than 37 times his purchase price.

Kolding had gone winless in five starts since the Group Two Hill Stakes (2000m) in the spring, but all of those starts had been on rain-affected ground. On Saturday he finally struck good footing, and the rest is history.

“He’s a ground-breaking horse, with a Golden Eagle and an Epsom,” trainer Chris Waller said. “Obviously he’s a horse that needs good tracks. I think he probably doesn’t get a lot of credit when he’s been getting beaten on wet tracks, which has been most of this preparation.”

He finally had things in his favour on Saturday, and he produced a performance to match, striding purposefully into contention at the top of the home straight.

Godolphin star Savatiano (Street Cry) loomed on his outside and even stuck her head in front within the last 200 metres, but Kolding refused to surrender and clawed his way back up alongside his rival. They fought an exciting two-horse battle to the line, with Kolding gradually getting the upper hand and scoring by a short half-head.

“I thought Savatiano had the race won, but then I could just gradually see him coming back,” Waller said.

“By this time in a preparation he’s normally running over 2000 metres, so I was thinking he was going to be strong late. These are the sorts of things rushing through your mind – your hopes at the 100-metre mark. He’s a good horse, and he showed it today.

“He’ll definitely be back for more. Being a sprinter-miler, I’m not sure there’s much in Queensland, but he will be back in a race like the Winx Stakes (Group One, 1400m) in the spring, provided we get a good track.”

The All Aged Stakes was the first time Brenton Avdulla has ridden Kolding, and he was highly impressed with his mount’s performance.

“He felt the winner, and then Savatiano was on top of him pretty quickly and got a head in front of me,” he said. “Once he felt her there, he lifted into another gear and showed his Group One dominance.”

Kolding has been a Group One warhorse in his 30-start career, lining up 10 races at the elite level – often on unsuitable wet tracks.

Vendor	Wentwood Grange
Purchaser	Mulcaster Bloodstock (Auckland)
Breeding	Ocean Park – Magic Star
Sale	Lot 269, 2017 Premier Sale, $170,000
Bred by	W Pegg