Trainer Lloyd Kennewell is already identifying a significant Group 1 sprint for three-year-olds in Melbourne as the next target for his debut winner, Mbube.
The two-year-old colt, a son of Rubick, was heavily backed to claim the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1000m) at Sandown on Saturday. Kennewell indicated that the colt would be turned out on Monday to commence preparation for the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day this spring.
Having been supported from as much as $12 earlier in the week with online bookmakers, Mbube ($3.50) proved too strong under jockey Billy Egan, winning by 1-½ lengths. He defeated the $2.90 favourite Stars Of Dom, with Aston ($6.50) a short-half-head away in third.
“He will be in the paddock at Fulmen Park on Monday morning getting ready for hopefully a Coolmore prep,” Kennewell said.
“He’s a highly talented galloper, probably as good as I’ve got in the yard, and I’ve been waiting probably 12 months for this horse. Watching him canter around as a yearling, you sort of knew what you had, and it’s a big call, because they need to gallop, which he could. He changed ownership because he was sold through a breeze-up sale for my other clients, and then we had to spend a lot of money to buy him back, but I knew how good he was.”
Kennewell stated that he made a personal inspection of the Sandown track to confirm its suitability for Mbube’s first start. He was pleasantly surprised to find the surface rated better than the Heavy 9 recorded on Friday morning, with an upgrade expected before racing.
The track condition had improved to a Soft 7 by the time of the race.
“He wasn’t going to be running yesterday morning because of the track condition,” Kennewell explained. “We had a few people walk it and I came and I walked it myself, and I said the track should be upgraded before the first, and it was. We wouldn’t have been running on a (heavy) nine or ten, that’s for sure. He’s very good on top of the ground. He’s got a beautiful action, a very good turn of foot, a very good brain for a colt. I’m looking forward to the spring. This is a pretty serious horse.”
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