Kiwi Legend
Highly-talented New Zealand-bred gelding Kiwi Legend is primed and ready to make a big impression at his Australian debut when he clashes with champion three-year-old Beaudiene Boaz in the Pegasus Sweetmax WA Derby Prelude over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Now prepared at Hazelmere by Mike Reed, Kiwi Legend is ready to issue a strong challenge to Beaudiene Boaz, who has not been extended in winning at each of his six West Australian starts for champion trainer Gary Hall sen. and star reinsman Gary Hall jun.--- by a combined margin of 71.1 metres, an average winning margin of 11.83m.
In a random barrier draw Kiwi Legend fared well and will start from No. 2 on the front line, with Beaudiene Boaz drawn at No. 3.
Beaudiene Boaz, a winner of two races as a two-year-old in New Zealand, now has a winning sequence of seven and is nominal favourite for the $200,000 WA Derby over 2536m at Gloucester park on April 17. He now faces his first serious test in the form of Kiwi Legend, who has romped to effortless victories at his only two starts.
He made his debut over 2400m at Wyndham on February 1 when he was favourite at 6/4 on in a field of 14. He started out wide on the back line and was 13th at the bell before starting a three-wide move 1100m from home. He quickly charged into second position and raced in the breeze for about 600m before bursting to the front 100m from the post and winning easily by two lengths from River Patrol.
He rated 2.0.3 after sprinting over the final 400m in a scorching 27.1sec. Four days later he contested another 2400m event at Winton and was favourite at 5/1 on from barrier one on the front line. He revealed excellent gate speed and led for the first 150m before Robbie Holmes relinquished the lead and was content to trail the pacemaker in the field of eight. Kiwi Legend was eased off the pegs 400m from home and burst to the front 150m, from the post before winning by more than four lengths at a 2.1 rate after a final 800m in 58.8sec.
Kiwi Legend arrived in WA early this month and has contested 2150m trials at Byford on the past two Sunday mornings. He rated a casual 2.3.3 when he won by 8m from Capricorn Monique last Sunday week and he was not extended on Sunday morning when he raced without cover and finished second, one length behind smart filly Tricky Styx, who had raced in the one-out, one-back position. The final quarters were covered in 28.8sec. and 28.2sec. and the winner rated a slick 1.56.6.
An intriguing battle for the early lead is likely in Friday night’s event, with both Kiwi Legend (who will be driven by Mark Reed) and Beaudiene Boaz blessed with abundant gate speed. Adding spice to the prospect of this early duel is All Aussie Boy, a speedy beginner who has drawn the coveted No. 1 barrier for Bunbury trainer Robert Wood and reinsman Kyle Harper.
All Aussie Boy revealed wonderful early speed when he led from barrier three and scored an easy four-length victory in the 2692m South West derby at Pinjarra two starts ago. All Aussie Boy then contested a 2130m event at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week when he began from the outside of the front line, raced wide early and then in the breeze for much of the way before winning by three lengths from Blacklist.
Hall sen. said that Beaudiene Boaz had thrived since his latest appearance at Gloucester park last Friday week when he led from barrier two and was not extended in winning the group 3 Caduceus Club Classic from Denny Crane and Tact Major.
Tact Major, a stablemate of Beaudiene Boaz, is handily drawn at barrier two on the back line in Friday night’s prelude and Hall expects a bold showing from the New Zealand-bred gelding, who has raced only five times for three wins, a second and a third.
Forrestdale trainers Greg and Skye Bond will be represented in the prelude by smart New Zealand-bred geldings Denny Crane (seven wins and six placings from 17 starts) and Ima Connoisseur (four wins and two placings from seven starts).