The Group 1 $1m Girvan Waugh Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick on March 10 has been confirmed as Kementari’s first major 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival assignment.
Kementari, above, will be aimed towards the 2018 Randwick Guineas at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Trainer James Cummings put Kementari in the world class category after the Lonhro colt cruised to an effortless first up win in the Group 3 $150,000 Aquis Farm Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
“That horse is potentially world class,” Cummings told RSN 927’s Correct Weight.
“He just needed runs like that in Melbourne to be showing that sort of ability.
“When you think that he was three-wide in the Caulfield Guineas, and the winner had the dream run underneath him, got the splits and got there.
“Mighty Boss was unlucky yesterday (in the C.F. Orr Stakes) – we’ve all been there with Kementari nutted by him in the Caulfield Guineas – but he’s returned in top fashion.
“He’s another horse from the stable that’s been able to make a big statement at the start of the carnival.
“His early aim this preparation is the Randwick Guineas.
“If I focus my energies on that, we can start building from there, and aiming up even a little higher. But that’s not to say there aren’t other options for him too.
“He’s got a stallion’s page, and that profile he’s building, he could be a really attractive horse that goes a long way in our stable that brings our Godolphin racing operation and the Darley breeding operation together.”
Kementari showed plenty of potential during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival with a close up second to Mighty Boss in the Group 1 $2m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield and was then spelled after running down the track when sixteenth to Merchant Navy in the Group 1 $1m Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on the first day of the four day Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Cummings has selected the Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on February 24 for Kementari as his final lead up run before the Randwick Guineas.
“His next run will be in the Hobartville Stakes and then to the Guineas,” Cummings said.
Kementari has been elevated to the top of the Randwick Guineas market order at $4.80 with Ladbrokes.com.au, just ahead of Golden Rose winner and first up Expressway Stakes winner Trapaze Artist at $5 and the Chris Waller trained D’Argento at $6.
Early betting for the 2018 Randwick Guineas at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.80 Kementari, $5 Trapeze Artist, $6 D’Argento, $7 Pierata, $9 Alizee, $13 Cliff’s Edge, Kaonic, Siege Of Quebec, $17 Assimilate, Ace High, $21 Capital Gain, Levendi, Tamasa, $26 or better the rest.
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