SHE’S a “killer” on the football field, and a filly named after her is out to kick a goal of her own at Newcastle tomorrow.
Killer Kerr, the equine namesake of Aussie women’s soccer champion and Matildas captain Sam Kerr, lines up for only her fifth start in the National Horse Transport Midway 3YO Maiden Plate (1400m).
Not surprisingly, the filly’s stable name is “Sammy”.
Killer Kerr will be ridden by Grant Buckley, who has partnered her in both runs this campaign for 1300m placings at Newcastle on May 4 and her home track a fortnight later when at longshot odds of $41 and $31 respectively.
Such fancy odds won’t be available this time, as Killer Kerr is currently a $7 chance with TAB.com.au.
Hawkesbury trainer Peter Green and his racing manager brother Clint didn’t have to think too long to find an apt name for the daughter of Shooting To Win after purchasing her for $6500 at the Inglis Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association yearling sale in Sydney in May, 2021.
“It was a natural,” Green said last night. “Sam Kerr (pictured) is a champion and keeps scoring goals, and we’re from a football family.
“Mum was born at Coventry in the UK, and my brother Clint played football in England.
“I got up at 1.30 yesterday morning to watch Coventry in the Championship play-off for the Premier League.”
“Clint and myself bought Killer Kerr along similar lines to Butch’N’Bugs (a $3000 yearling buy in 2018 at the same HTBA sale held at Scone, and is named after the two brothers and has won four races and earned nearly $150,000 prizemoney).
“We sold a few shares in Killer Kerr to some of our loyal owners when we knew she had ability.
“I really like the filly. I have a similar feeling about her as Star Mission (who won successive races at Newcastle and Hawkesbury in February and was narrowly beaten in a 1500m Midway Handicap at Rosehill Gardens in mid-March before a break).
“We purposely haven’t pushed Killer Kerr, and didn’t race her as a two-year-old.
“She is a big, strong filly who stands around 16 hands.
“Her two runs this time in work have been good, and the 1400m tomorrow in another Provincial Maiden on the big track should suit.”
Newcastle trainer Mark Minervini is hoping to celebrate his recent purchase of last year’s Coffs Harbour Cup winner Hosier by winning another race tomorrow with track specialist Super.
Minervini secured six-year-old Hosier for $100,000 online through Magic Millions after the Williams family decided to put him on the market, and took over his preparation last Thursday from fellow Newcastle trainer Kris Lees.
“Hosier is an accomplished wet tracker, so we’re getting him at the right time of the year with winter on our doorstep,” Minervini said this morning.
“At this stage, I’m looking to kick him off at Royal Randwick on Saturday week in a Benchmark 94 Handicap (1300m), and a wet track would be nice.”
Minervini has jumped on the Aaron Bullock bandwagon by booking the State’s jockeys’ premiership front-runner for Super ($5.50 third favorite) in tomorrow’s Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m).
Another treble at Gunnedah yesterday, including producing a pearler to easily win the Showcase Cup (1600m) on Akasawa, took him to 141.5 wins for the season; 31.5 wins ahead of Sydney’s premier jockey James McDonald.
Super’s five NSW wins have all been at Newcastle, and he has been ridden by apprentices in all of them.
“Nothing whatsoever against Georgina McDonnell, who has ridden him at his last seven starts, and won on him in April and never finished further back than sixth in those runs,” Minervini said.
“But sometimes these older horses (Super is seven years old and rising eight) need to hear a different voice.
“We’ve had a bit of luck lately with Aaron, and he is in outstanding form.”
Minervini purchased Super in 2018 from the Team Snowden stable in Sydney for $22.500 as an unraced two-year-old colt, whilst based in Adelaide.
“Snowdens told us he needed to be gelded, and we won a Balaklava Maiden with him at the end of 2018 before he was runner-up at both Morphettville and Caulfield,” he said.
“Super came with us when we relocated to Newcastle in 2019, and has been a good horse for the stable. He certainly doesn’t owe us anything.
“I can’t honestly say why his next five wins have all been at Newcastle, but clearly he is better here than on any other NSW course. The big track here definitely suits him.
“And he is a horse who needs to get to the outside in the straight, and that won’t be a problem tomorrow as he has drawn barrier 12 (he will jump from 10 if the two emergencies do not gain starts).”
. Newcastle was rated a “Soft 5” this morning, and the rail is 9m out for the entire circuit.
. HOOFNOTE: Peter Green’s early Sunday morning effort to watch Coventry try to gain an English Premier League berth by winning the Championship Final ended in disappointment as his team went under 5-6 to Luton Town in a tense penalty shootout.
Hopefully, Killer Kerr won’t keep him in such suspense tomorrow!
*Words John Curtis - Monday, May 29, 2023*
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