Southern Mission Yields Valuable Black-Type for Kai (NZ)

Under-rated mare Kai (NZ) (Ocean Park) made a big trip down to Wingatui on Boxing Day and came away with a dream result in the $80,000 Listed Property Brokers-Ray Kean Hazlett Stakes (1200m).

The feature sprint was the first black-type win for Kai, who was passed in with a reserve of only $10,000 when offered by Weowna Park in Book 2 of Karaka 2020. Her 24-start career has now produced five wins, 13 placings and $136,165 in stakes.

Kai was already a valuable broodmare prospect, having shown real talent throughout the two years since her debut as a spring three-year-old back in October of 2021. But trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson convinced the five-year-old’s connections to extend her racing career beyond a last-start victory at Te Rapa in October, and they have been richly rewarded.

Kai was pointed towards Dunedin’s black-type Boxing Day feature – a long-range plan that was brought to fruition on Tuesday with a well-timed ride by Kylie Williams.

After settling near the back of the 13-horse field, Williams brought Kai to the outside in the straight and she flew home to score a half-length win over Adannaya (NZ) (Niagara) and Emanon (NZ) (Burgundy).

“It’s great when a plan comes together,” Walker said. “After her last-start win back in October, her owners were thinking about sending her to a stallion to be served. We had a chat about it and I said I thought she could definitely get some black type if we placed her right, and this race today became the target.

“It’s a hell of a long way to go from Matamata to Wingatui for a race, but when she drew the outside and the rain came, everything just started to fall into place. It was a very good ride by Kylie – she used the mare’s great finishing speed to perfection.

“This is fantastic for her owners, and I think she hasn’t stopped winning just yet either.”

Kai’s co-breeder Daniel Nakhle bought the mare’s dam Brilliant Blush (NZ) (Testa Rossa) for just $3,500 from the 2014 Winter Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka.

Kai’s Boxing Day heroics made her the 21st individual stakes winner by Waikato Stud stallion Ocean Park (NZ), who will be represented at Karaka 2024 by 45 yearlings in Book 1 and another nine in Book 2.