Mikki Isle's Katsu Captures Kensington Stakes

Mark Smith - Wednesday December 20

First up in 23 weeks, the promising sprinter Katsu opened his stakes account in Wednesday's $200,000 Listed Resimax Group Kensington Stakes (1000m) at Flemington to credit Deep Impact's dual Group 1 winner Mikki Isle (JPN) with his second Australian stakes-winner.

Carrying the colours made famous by Taj Rossi, Katsu opens his stakes account (image Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

Ridden by Jordan Childs for Grahame Begg, Katsu was the best to begin, and Childs was determined to keep the 4-year-old from overracing as Najem Suhail put the pressure on. When asked for an effort, Katsu lengthened impressively to defeat the Starspangledbanner gelding Najem Suhail by a length and a quarter, with the Rich Enuff mare Rich Fortune a half-length back in third.

A first-up specialist, Katsu advanced his record to five wins, a second, and a third from ten starts with earnings of $316,200.

It was a second win in the race for Jordan Childs, who has ridden Katsu in all but one of his ten starts.

"He was a lot more relaxed today. First up in his previous campaigns, he came in a bit fresh, whereas today he was relaxed going to the gates," Childs said.

"He jumped out and got into a beautiful rhythm. He is probably furnishing in to the finished product.

"Everyone has been getting wide all day because the wind is blowing across the track. There is nothing wrong with the inside; when you draw barrier one, you don't have many options.

A winning partnership (image Pat Scala/Racing photos)

"I was happy to keep him comfortable, and he finished it off well.

"I think he has better races in store."

Consigned by his breeder, Arrowfield Stud, to the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Katsu made $170,000 to the bid of his trainer.

That was the highest price paid for a yearling in the second crop of Arrowfield's three-season shuttler Mikki Isle (JPN) and his third overall.

Katsu a $170,000 Inglis Classic yearling

Katsu is the best of two winners from as many to race for the Not A Single Doubt mare Zing And Swing, a three-quarter sister to Group III ATC Triscay Stakes winner Zestful (Redoute's Choice) and a half to stakes-placed Zedazest (Fuji Kiseki) and the dam of Group II Reisling Slipper and Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Military Rose.

From the famed family of Zeditave, Zing And Swing has a  Castelvecchio colt named Two Wolves, a $50,000 purchase for Beamish Bloodstock at the 2023 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.

Katsu is the second stakes-winner in Australia for Mikki Isle (JPN), behind Dragonstone, and his sixth overall. 

Mikki Isle (JPN)

 

Advertisment

Race Result - Resimax Group Kensington Stakes LR 1000m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 0:57.28
1
Katsu
- 4g Mikki Isle (JPN) x Zing And Swing (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: G M Begg Rdr: Jordan Childs 54.5
2
1.3
Najem Suhail
- 6g Starspangledbanner (AUS) x Sophie's Spirit (AUS) (Invincible Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: B Shinn 58
Starspangledbanner
3
1.8
Rich Fortune
- 4m Rich Enuff (AUS) x Nkwazi's Daughter (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: Jerome Hunter Rdr: Craig Williams 54
Rich Enuff
4
1.9
Halvorsen
- 8g Magnus (AUS) x Flourishing (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: A Mallyon 60
5
3.1
Alicia Roma
- 5m Your Song (AUS) x Romabella (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: D Moor 54
6
4.1
Malkovich
- 6g Choisir (AUS) x Mabkhara (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Jye McNeil 59.5
More Reading...
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.
Storm Boy Headed to Ireland
Coolmore have today announced via Twitter that top class Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy will be continuing his racing career in Ireland in 2025 under the care of Aidan O’Brien.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.