KEMBLA Grange’s sprint find South Of India was a “cut” above his rivals as he extended his picket fence at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Trainer Ross McConville revealed the talented three-year-old had cut his mouth in the aftermath to his fifth win on end, in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1000m) at his city debut.
Jockey Nash Rawiller adopted a similar plan to when he won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick two years ago on now retired Kembla Grange champ Think It Over by skirting the outside rail in the straight on South Of India ($4.20).
The Churchill gelding steamed home to defeat Newcastle pair, Paul Perry’s The Escape ($5.50) and Kris Lees’ Memoria ($4.40).
“Unfortunately Nash had trouble pulling South Of India up, and he cut his mouth,” McConville said.
“Other than that, he has pulled up well but we’ll have another close look at his mouth on Monday before making any further immediate plans.”
McConville has had offers, especially from Hong Kong, to sell South Of India – but he’s not parting with the gelding.
He bred South Of India from his Snitzel mare Minnesota (who won four races and was placed three times at Randwick), and races him under his Tullimbar Pty Ltd banner, and the three-year-old, understandably, is a special horse.
He has provided him with five of his 18 winners so far this season.
South Of India was so small when born that McConville considered giving him away, and thankfully retained him.
“He’s not a small horse now, but isn’t big either,” he said. “He is a nice size.”
South Of India’s first metropolitan appearance twice has been delayed in recent weeks, but the wait was worthwhile.
He was to have contested a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1000m) at Randwick on June 22 but the meeting was washed out, and then McConville chose not to run him a week later in a Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on a heavy track.
“I’ve been trying to stay away from those heavy tracks,” McConville said. “His five wins have been on good or soft tracks.”
Such was the trainer’s eagerness to have Rawiller ride South Of India that he didn’t mind him declaring 1kg over at Randwick.
And he wasn’t in the least surprised when the jockey made a beeline toward the outside rail in the straight.
“We talked about it in the saddling enclosure, and Nash was umming and aahing about going wide,” McConville said.
“But I told him to find the best ground, and that’s what he did.”
McConville, who keeps no more than 15-20 horses in work, has South Of India’s older half-sister Princeston (by Exosphere), already the winner of two races, in work, but has spelled younger half-brother Donwon (by Magna Grecia) after a pleasing debut run at Newcastle on May 25.
“That’s exactly what I did with South Of India,” McConville said.
“I turned him out after he ran a great race at his first start when sixth (after being in front 100m from the post) in a 2YO Maiden (1000m) at home 12 months ago, and he’s won the five in a row since.
“Donwon ran a close third (at $41) in a Newcastle 2YO Maiden (900m), and I’m looking forward to getting him back next season as a three-year-old.”
. Whilst South Of India deservedly took the honours, there was also plenty of merit in runner-up The Escape’s performance.
RacingNSW stewards reported he laid out under pressure, particularly over the closing stages, and subsequently was found to have sustained a near foreleg tendon injury.
Story John Curtis, July 14, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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