There seems to have been a rash of bargain-basement priced yearlings winning at the elite level lately, and there is a chance of another one joining the club in the not too distant future.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Kurabui kept her record at a perfect three for three with a dominant performance of 1400m at Pakenham on Wednesday.
Ridden by Jamie Kah, the 4yo daughter of Proisir defeated Perennial (Per Incanto) by two and three-quarter lengths with Vitani (Animal Kingdom) a half-length back in third.
Teviotdale Racing purchased Kurabui for $1,000 out of the Rich Hill Stud draft at the 2018 NZB Karaka May Sale
At the time of her sale, Kurabui’s Adelaide Cup and Bart Cummings Stakes-winning half-brother Surprise Baby (Shocking) was five months away from making his career debut.
Like the promising Ayrton, Kurabui caught the eye of bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo, but unlike Ayrton, Kurabui had not had a trial.
On the strength of Pretty Baby’s success, Cataldo purchased Kurabui out of the paddock on behalf of stable clients headed by Andrew Whittingham’s Honeycomb Stud.
The daughter of Proisir made her first start as a spring 4yo with a two and a half-length success at Pakenham before a determined win over 1600m at Caulfield on December 16.
Kurabui is out of the winning Kaapstad mare Bula Baby a daughter of the crack racemare Miss Tessla (Crested Wave), whose nine wins included the Group II SAJC Sedgwick Classic and Listed VRC Matron Stakes and placed a further eight time in Group races.