Trainer Lloyd Kennewell has his sights set on a major Group 1 sprint for three-year-olds in Melbourne following the impressive debut victory of Mbube.
The two-year-old colt by Rubick was a significant market mover for the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1000m) at Sandown on Saturday. Kennewell confirmed that the colt would head to the paddock on Monday to begin preparations for the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day.
Having been backed from as high as $12 earlier in the week by punters, Mbube ($3.50) delivered under jockey Billy Egan, securing a 1-½ length triumph over the $2.90 favourite Stars Of Dom. Aston ($6.50) finished a short-half-head further back in third.
“He will be in the paddock at Fulmen Park on Monday morning getting ready for hopefully a Coolmore prep,” Kennewell stated.
“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 mentioned he inspected the Sandown track to ensure its suitability for Mbube’s initial outing. He was pleased to find the surface rated better than the Heavy 9 from Friday morning, anticipating an upgrade before racing commenced on Saturday.
The track condition had improved to a Soft 7 by the time Mbube competed.
“He wasn’t going to be running yesterday morning because of the track condition,” Kennewell revealed. “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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