Boom sprinter Our Kobison makes big statement with dynamic return win at Randwick

Our Kobison delivered a performances of sheer class and superior speed to get his campaign off to a winning start at Randwick.

Our Kobison and James McDonald race to a dominant victory at Randwick. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Exciting sprinter Our Kobison made an impressive return to racing and continued the sensational winning streak of trainer Angela Davies at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Our Kobison overcame a slow start before reeling in his rivals and forging clear for a dominant win in the Ranvet Handicap (1100m) in fast time.

Davies admitted Our Kobison was nowhere near peak fitness as her star sprinter has a big spring carnival campaign ahead of him but she had confidence in the gelding’s sheer class and superior speed.

“I’m tickled pink,” Davies said.

“It’s always a bit of a relief when they win first-up because you just want to see them back at the races in good form.

“But I think he showed today he’s back and I think he is going to improve a ton off that.

“I honestly don’t know how good this horse is but I believe he will get to stakes grade.”

Our Kobison returns with a bang at Randwick! 💥@mcacajamez@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/wLi1opP6Cw

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 10, 2024

Our Kobison was heavily-backed into $1.80 favouritism and overcame a slow start to finish over the top of his rivals and score by a length from Le Melody ($21) with Sebonack ($7.50) a further length away third.

Dancing Alone eased to $5.50 on track and after racing behind the leaders until the turn she failed to run on as expected and ran only sixth.

But all honours to the winner, Our Kobison, who improved his already impressive record to six wins (and three placings) from just 10 starts for more than $360,000 prizemoney.

Champion jockey James McDonald rode Our Kobison and revealed why the usually on-pace sprinter settled back further back than expected in the 1000m scamper.

“Our Kobison was a little bit awkward early, it was a ‘higgeldy-piggeldy’ start,” McDonald said.

“We were probably a length-and-a-half back further than we anticipated but he travelled really fresh and strong.

“He’s a damn, good horse with a great turn of foot. He has come back in good order.

“This race today will bring him on immensely and he was a little bit fresh. She is a damn good trainer, Ange, really good.”

"Our Kobison's off and gone."

It's a 1200m new track record to Angela Davies' promising sprinter who stopped the clock at 1:08.30, bettering the 1997 mark set by All Our Mob by 0.09. @KPMcEvoy picked up the ride and he beat Dalaalaat and Dipsy Doodle. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/smRYo6xdWC

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) February 3, 2024

Our Kobison gave Davies, a trainer renowned for the placement of her horses, a sixth winner from seven starters across the last two months.

The Davies stable’s winning strike-rate over a season is invariably above 20 per cent (a winner every five starters) and has been as high as a remarkable 35 per cent.

As for Our Kobison, he has demonstrated an ability to run fast times in his races – he holds the Rosehill 1200m track record of 1min 8.3sec – and he was at it again on Saturday.

Davies was interested to learn the sectional times breakdown of Our Kobison’s win after her sprinter stopped the clock at 57.64sec for 1000m on the Soft 5 surface.

Our Kobison was able to reel off three successive 200m sectionals splits in under 11sec with an overall closing 600m in a fast 32.69sec.

“He’s a fast horse but it’s great he was able to run such good times because he was slow away,” Davies said.

“It looked like he bounded at the start and lost a little bit and to James’ credit, he sat quiet and gave him every opportunity to get home.

“He is going to improve so much off that run and if you watch the race closely, James looked after him.

“It wasn’t the plan to be that far back but he didn’t get away that well but I think being ridden like that will help the horse in the long run.

“James only asked him to do enough to win and he has still run those good sectionals so it is very exciting going towards the spring carnival.”

Davies said she will give Our Kobison time to get over his comeback run before determining the sprinter’s spring carnival campaign.

“I just wanted to get through today, see how the horse went, before deciding where he goes next,” Davies said.

“It’s going to be a bit of a decision. We will talk to James and see what he thinks as well.

“We will give him a week or so to get over this run and then we may look at running him in the Show County Quality (Group 3, $250,000 over 1200m at Royal Randwick) in two weeks.”

Originally published as Boom sprinter Our Kobison makes big statement with dynamic return win at Randwick