Kushadasi will be aimed towards the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival features after a last-stride victory in the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville in Adelaide.
Ridden by Victorian hoop Steven Arnold, the Richard Jolly-trained son of Choisir scored in a photo over the sole filly in the race, the Mick Kent-trained Scratchy Bottom.
Set to now head to the paddock for a well-earned break, Jolly said Kushadasi will likely be nominated for both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
“He’ll be nominated for the better races and we’ll probably see how he comes up and then play it by ear,” Jolly said.
“He’ll probably have six or eight weeks off now and then we’ll assess him. I think he’ll be an even better horse next season.
“To me he’s still immature and he’ll definitely be even better as he matures into his four-year-old year.
“He’s a very relaxed horse that has a good turn of foot and he’s won over 1200, a mile (1600m) and 2500 now so he’s definitely shown that he can stay so we can target those staying races with him.”
Speaking after his first Group 1 victory since he partnered So You Think 2010 to win the 2010 Mackinnon Stakes, Arnold said it was great to win again at the highest level.
“I’ve had a bit of a drought with the Group 1s so it was great to get another one,” Arnold said.
“From a good gate (Saturday) I was able to get into a good spot in the run.
“(Saturday) was his grand final obviously and we were lucky enough to draw a good gate. I was confident that I could be a little positive on him early and he’d relax well because he’s a very relaxed horse.”
Making the most of barrier three, Arnold settled Kushadasi ($4.60) in seventh position on the rail before sticking to the inside on the home turn and joining the leaders at the top of the straight.
With Scratchy Bottom ($5.50) who had also cut the corner sticking hard and against the fence and Arnold angling Kushadasi to the middle of the track, the filly raced to the lead with Kushadasi gradually but surely wearing down the margin before producing one last surge in the shadows of the post.
Following earlier victories on Alpha Beat in the Listed Adelaide Guineas (1600m) and Bocuse in the Fulham Funerald Handicap (1200m), leading Victorian Victorian jockey Damien Oliver was unable to make it a treble finishing half-a-length further back in third aboard the Anthony Cummings-trained Best Case ($12), with Gamblin’ Guru ($8) narrowly a further head away in fourth position.
– Racing Victoria
