'Kool' win at Bunya Park

Six races were run at the Bunya Park racetrack for the Dalby Christmas Races on Saturday, November 24.

MAKING STRIDES: Avasa, trained by Jackie Crompton, won race two, the Class B Handicap over 1000m, at Saturday's Christmas Races. Picture: Shannon Hardy

SIX races were run at the Bunya Park racetrack for the Dalby Christmas Races on Saturday, November 24.

Exceedingly Kool, trained by Grant Arnold, took first place in race one, the Benchmark 65 1000m.

"One thousand metres is his perfect distance,” Arnold said.

"The field wasn't overly strong and we were fairly confident, but as it turned out the margins were fairly slender (and) the competition was stronger than what we thought.”

Arnold said Exceedingly Kool won very well.

"He's a tough little horse, he loves his home track - no travel for us.

"He raced very well at the Sunshine, which was a metropolitan meet.

"His last start he wasn't beaten too far.

"That's why we were fairly enthusiastic about the result here.”

Apprentice jockey Madeleine Wishart was in the saddle for Exceedingly Kool's win.

The Brisbane-based jockey allowed 2kg to be claimed, which Arnold said was a plus in their favour.

"I'd had good reports about her prior to Saturday, about her riding ability, and I had no hesitation about engaging her,” he said.

"I'd have no hesitation if the occasion arose to put her back on.

"She rode very well.”

Arnold's horse Brax will be racing tomorrow at the Doomben Racecourse in Brisbane.

After Brax's win the week before and Exceedingly Kool's win on Saturday, Arnold is hoping to make it three in a row with a win at Doomben.