GOSFORD’S Angela Davies could see the irony of it all!
Not only is she a good trainer, but possesses a wonderful sense of humour as well.
After being in the national spotlight winning first-up at Royal Randwick with her talented sprinter Our Kobison on Saturday, it will be quite a sea change later in the week when she goes from Sydney racing’s headquarters to the bush with none other than the gelding’s younger brother.
Davies has taken the lightly-raced I Am Sugoi under her wing, and plans to give him his first start for her at Gunnedah on Friday.
“From Randwick to Gunnedah. What about that?,” she chuckled on Sunday.
“We can take I Am Sugoi’s stablemate Alice Mae as well, and go for a drive in the country.”
Whereas Davies has done an outstanding job with Our Kobison (by Kobayashi from the Fastnet Rock mare Orne River), the five-year-old’s younger brother comes to her with two wins from only four starts.
Previously trained in Victoria by father and son Leon and Troy Corstens under their Malua Racing banner, four-year-old I Am Sugoi won his first two starts; a 1200m Maiden Plate at Echuca on August 26 last year and then a 1300m Benchmark 58 Handicap across the border at Corowa 24 days later.
He was ridden in those victories by both geldings’ breeder and managing part-owner Jodie Fessopolous’ son Liam Riordan.
I Am Sugoi subsequently was unplaced at Wagga (January 16) and Albury (February 18) and, since joining Davies’ Gosford team, won a three-horse 800m heat at Scone on July 17 at his second trial for her.
The word ‘sugoi’ in Japanese means to express excitement, but Davies for now at least is certainly not making any comparison with big brother and stable star.
“I Am Sugoi is not as big as Our Kobison and not as quick,” she said.
“But he’s a neat horse, and Gunnedah looks the right place to start him off.”
As for Our Kobison, Davies reported that he pulled up in terrific order after resuming to win the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1000m) at Randwick; his sixth success from only 10 starts.
She isn’t getting ahead of herself all the same, and is yet to decide where his next start will be.
“It might be in the Show County Quality (1200m) back at Randwick on Saturday week, but we’ll let the dust settle and see how he progresses,” Davies said.
Should Our Kobison get the “green light” to head to the Group 3 Show County, that would mean him having his first crack at stakes grade – and there’s no doubt he’s ready.
Davies has now won with both her runners – Denman Star was an impressive Newcastle victor last Thursday – in the first week and a half of the new season, adding further to her outstanding strike rate.
Remarkably, her last seven starters have produced six winners – a very impressive statistic indeed.
Our Kobison has now raced 10 times for six wins and three placings; his sole “blemish” being a fourth at his home track at his second start.
Davies produced Our Kobison as a mid-season three-year-old to win first-up at Newcastle in January last year, only four days after trialling him over 845m at Wyong.
“We were running out of suitable races, and it was only 900m at Newcastle, so I wasn’t worried about kicking him off a few days later,” she said.
“Then he finished fourth in a Class 1 Handicap (1100m) at Gosford three weeks later as an odds-on favorite.
“I don’t what happened that day. It was dreadful, and he shouldn’t have any duck eggs to his name (meaning Our Kobison’s record should show all wins and placings).”
RacingNSW stewards reported Our Kobison threw his head in the air at the start that day. The gelding was a clear last settling down, then surged along the inside to take a narrow lead on straightening before being cut out of third placing on the post.
That is all behind him as he continues to show he is a sprinter who has got what it takes!
. Newcastle’s Paul Perry has kicked off the new season with Sydney winners on consecutive Saturdays.
After scoring with Nosey Parker at Rosehill Gardens a week ago, he backed up by winning the following race after Our Kobison, the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m), with Cosy Corner (Ash Morgan) at $6.
Story John Curtis, August 11, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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