Talented New Zealand filly Alabama Lass has already demonstrated her versatility on both right and left-handed tracks. Now, she faces a fresh challenge as she takes on the straight course in her Australian debut.
Alabama Lass has made the journey to Melbourne to compete in the Listed HKJC World Pool Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday, following a string of impressive performances back home.
Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso are well-versed in preparing horses for Australian campaigns, having tasted success in 2023 with Legato in the Group 1 Australian Guineas. Their former stable star Levante also produced strong performances on a previous trip to Flemington.
Boasting five wins from eight starts, Alabama Lass has also secured three runner-up finishes, two of which came in Group 1 events—an outcome that has left Ken Kelso somewhat frustrated.
Kelso believes wet tracks played a key role in those near-misses, particularly in the Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton and the Railway Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie.
“We stretched her out to a mile at Riccarton and she’ll probably never go another mile in her life, but we did that as it’s the only Group 1 three-year-old fillies race in New Zealand,” Kelso said.
“Unfortunately, it rained quite a bit in the morning, and it was slow by the time she raced.
“Then in the Railway, we were a bit unlucky. It stayed fine all through Karaka Day and then the rain came about an hour before our race.
“She was very brave on both of those rain-affected tracks. She deserved to fold up in the Guineas over a mile, but she kept on going and if she had not met those, she may have well been unbeaten as a three-year-old.”
Alabama Lass rebounded in style with a dominant victory in the Group 3 King’s Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie on March 8, where she turned the tables on Crocetti, her Railway Stakes conqueror.
On Wednesday, Crocetti was confirmed as Entain New Zealand’s representative in the $4 million slot race, The Quokka (1200m), set to take place at Ascot next month.
“She won impressively that day,” Kelso said.
“Luckily, we got a good track, and she won well, so after that we’ve decided to roll the dice and have a go at Flemington.”
Saturday’s race presents a new challenge, as Alabama Lass will be running down the Flemington straight for the first time.
To maximize her chances, the Kelsos have secured the services of experienced jockey Craig Williams.
“She has to adapt to the straight,” Kelso said.
“It’s a different scenario, so that is why we’ve elected to go with an Australian jockey in Craig Williams as he knows how to ride the straight.
“She doesn’t have to lead. Earlier, if something had taken her on, she was able to take a sit. She’s pretty tractable, she’s not a mad tearaway that has to lead from the front.”
With proven class and adaptability, Alabama Lass will be one to watch as she takes on a fresh challenge in Melbourne.
