SA mare Viddora hoping to climb racing’s richest mountain in the $13 Everest at Randwick
ADELAIDE trainer Lloyd Kennewell’s climb up the Australian training ranks can be magnified if SA mare Viddora wins Saturday’s $13m Everest at Randwick in Sydney.
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ADELAIDE trainer Lloyd Kennewell’s climb up the Australian training ranks can be magnified if SA mare Viddora wins Saturday’s $13 million Everest at Randwick in Sydney.
Kennewell made the bold move to Australian racing’s epicentre in Melbourne less than three months ago and there is no better advertisement for a stable than winning.
Viddora’s stunning Moir Stakes win first-up from a break last month was the perfect announcement that thrust his stable into Everest contention.
“You hope things kick on from here. It’s obviously huge exposure for our business being in a race like this and hopefully we can build on it,” Kennewell said.
“You hope that new people walk in, you build new relationships and maybe we can come back next year with another one.”
Kennewell said the transition to Melbourne which has been years in planning was coming together nicely.
“There was a plan to get to here for a fair while now,” Kennewell said.
“The moment I got the call that I had some boxes at Caulfield, it was a matter of making this happen quickly.
“There aren’t really enough hours in the day at the moment and I’ve enjoyed setting things up from scratch.
“I’m moving into a new bigger barn in December and I think we’re making good inroads early,” he said.
Despite now calling Melbourne home, Kennewell said he wasn’t turning his back on Adelaide racing.
“Adelaide has been great to me but it was time to move on,” he said.
“Initially the plan was to move totally, but I still have a big operation in Adelaide with a lot of young horses and the stable is full.
“I’ll reassess things in 12 months time. As long as the Adelaide stable is functioning well and contrary to what a lot of people in Adelaide are saying, it’s not being closed any time soon.”
Kennewell said putting plans in place for the move and a hectic start to the new racing season has meant he hasn’t really had the chance to sit back and fully appreciate just what Viddora has achieved.
“I haven’t really thought about it to be honest,” Kennewell said.
“Whether it’s a maiden, a Group 1 or a $13 million race, you still have the same build-up. You are still working all the horses and making sure everything gets done.
“This week has really gone up a notch. The way this race has been promoted in Australia has been something else.”
Kennewell added that seeing his colours beamed on the Sydney Opera House this week was a special moment.
“Seeing my colours on the Opera House was something. I don’t imagine we’ll see that again,” he said.
Viddora’s rise to the top echelon of Australian sprinters has been a steady one.
Bred in the Barossa Valley, Viddora was plucked by Kennewell from the 2014 Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale for just $40,000.
If she wins The Everest she will have banked more than $8.4 million in just 28 starts.
And it was only three and half years ago Viddora finished in the second half of the field on debut in the Dequetteville Stakes at Morphettville.
Afer her narrow miss on the Gold Coast she was narrowly beaten by Karlovasi in the Manihi Classic, defeated Illustrious Lad in the Group 3 Irwin Stakes before beating all but Secret Agenda in the Group 1 Sangster Stakes in Adelaide.
She narrowly missed in the 2017 Moir Stakes before flying home for fourth in the Manikato before her stunning victories in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes at Magic Millions Sprint.
She missed this year’s Sangster with a niggle before as Kennewell emphasises was “her only really bad run in two years” when 13th behind Santa Ana Lane in the $1 million group 1 Goodwood in May before a terrific return to win the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley.
She went to the paddock and showed rapid improvement in her second campaign winning before really finding her feet at the end of her three-year-old season, beating Ocean Embers in the Listed Lightning Stakes at Morphettville before narrowly going down to Heatherly in the Norman Carlyon at Moonee Valley.
She travelled to Queensland later in the year to finish runner-up in both the Falvelon Quality at Eagle Farm and Magic Millions Sprint on the Gold Coast which kickstarted her breakout 2017.
Kennewell said Viddora arrived in Sydney in perfect order on Friday and he knows he has the right man in the saddle to get the job done with good mate Joe Bowditch in the saddle.
“Like 11 others in the race, we’re probably all pretty confident going into it,” Kennewell said.
“Joe will take care of business and do what he’s got to do.
“She’s not a forward runner so barrier 12 isn’t a hindrance to her.
“I’d rather be three wide with cover than four back on the fence. We’ve got choices.
“It’s great to be here and part of it, but we are here to win it, we’re not here to make up the numbers.
“And we believe we can win it.”