Kalabek to burst into JJ Atkins calculations after Saturday’s Lancaster Stakes

TRAINER Brent Stanley is confident his unbeaten Melbourne youngster Kalabek can live up to her huge potential in Saturday’s Lancaster Stakes at Doomben.

BRAZEN Beau sits at the top of betting markets for next month’s $500,000 Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) but visiting trainer Brent Stanley sounds confident of a shake-up after his unbeaten Melbourne youngster Kalabek runs at Doomben on Saturday.

Stanley, who won the 1996 Caulfield Cup on Arctic Scent, will attempt to become the latest Group 1 winning jockey to complete the double as a trainer with his JJ Atkins plans for Kalabek.

Two-year-old filly Kalabek could not have been more impressive on debut at Caulfield last month when she dwelt in the barrier and was last in running but overcame the slow start to score a huge win.

Kalabek has her second career start in Saturday’s Listed Lancaster Stakes (1200m) at Doomben but punters should not be expecting her to be back in the run.

Stanley was shocked when she missed the kick on debut after easily leading all her trials, winning all three by a minimum of six lengths.

With Damien Oliver unavailable due to a Group 1 commitment in Singapore, Nash Rawiller takes the ride and the filly will use her natural pace from barrier nine.

"It was weird when she was slow out on debut because she led all three trials on her ear," Stanley said.

"The real bonus from her debut run was knowing she could get back in among them and still find a way to win.

"I will complete the speed maps a bit later. I spend quite a while doing the form and the speedmaps for all the races my horses are in. If you don’t do the form, your horses will run second."

Arctic Scent and Brent Stanley winning the Caulfield Cup in 1996.

Stanley, the Queanbeyan-born horseman who was just 17 when he was thrust into the racing spotlight with his Caulfield Cup winning ride, speaks of Kalabek in similar glowing terms to Veuvelicious.

Veuvelicious won the Fernhill Handicap at Randwick last month and was second favourite for the Group 1 Champagne Stakes before having an interrupted run and finishing sixth behind Go Indy Go.

Stanley always had a Queensland Winter Carnival campaign in mind for Kalabek and the JJ Atkins is her prime target.

"She is a very, very nice filly and if she wins the Lancaster, or runs well, we will certainly be going towards the JJ Atkins," Stanley said.

"It would be great to join the club (Group 1 winners as both jockey and trainer).

Stanley has 20 horses in work at his Kyneton stables and all but two are two-year-old’s.

The promising trainer is one to watch in the coming months.

"I haven’t raced all that many of my two-year-old’s and I have some very good ones parked at home," he said.

A potential longer-term goal for Kalabek could be the Thousand Guineas in the Melbourne Spring but Stanley will wait to see how she gets through the Winter Carnival.

Brazen Beau, from the Chris Waller yard, is currently the $3.50 favourite for the JJ Atkins which is run on Stradbroke Day at Eagle Farm on June 7.

Kalabek is on the fourth line of betting at $11 in TattsBet’s fixed odds JJ Atkins market.

Originally published as Kalabek to burst into JJ Atkins calculations after Saturday’s Lancaster Stakes