King Kirk reigns as Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott score consecutive Breeders’ Plate trifectas at Randwick

Following on from the dominance of their youngsters last season, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have hit the ground running with another Breeders’ Plate trifecta at Randwick.

King Kirk (right) beats stablemates Tempestuous (centre) and North England (left) in the Breeders Plate at Randwick. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained the Group 3 $250,000 Breeders’ Plate trifecta for the second year in succession.

King Kirk, under Rachel King, came from near last on the turn to run down stablemates Tempestuous and North England in a thrilling finish to the first juvenile race of the new season at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

It’s a remarkable achievement, it was the second 1-2-3 in the Breeders’ Plate for Tulloch Lodge after Espionage defeated Straight Charge and Prost 12 months ago.

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Then, just 15 minutes later, there was a further demonstration of the stable’s extraordinary success with two-year-olds, when the Waterhouse and Bott-trained Tremonti won Melbourne’s first two-year-old race, the Listed $175,000 Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.

King Kirk ($8) gave Waterhouse her ninth Breeders’ Plate – and her second in partnership with Bott – when he finished fast to beat Tempestuous ($9) by a half-neck with early leader North England ($4.60) a short head away third.

“He’s a lovely horse,” Bott said of King Kirk.

“Everything that he’s done to date has just been very professional.

“He got a bit further back than expected today in the run, and it was a great effort to pick them up there in the final strides.”

King Kirk, a son of first season sire Ole Kirk, cost $300,000 at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale earlier this year and is likely to be aimed at the rich Gold Coast juvenile race in January.

😮 What a finish!

Ole Kirk colt King Kirk wins the G3 Breeders' Plate with @RachelK11 in the saddle, and the @GaiWaterhouse1 - Bott stable gets the Breeders trifecta for the second year running with Tempestuous and North England filling the placings!@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/zoASF8EPIa

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024

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“The colt is a Magic Millions horse so I’d say that’s, first and foremost, the main target for him,” Bott said.

“We’ll look to give him a spell now and work back from there. And obviously, big picture you’re always looking for the Golden Slipper.”

King wasn’t surprised by King Kirk’s winning debut after being impressed by the colt at the official two-year-old barrier trials.

“He did everything right at the trials, first day out, and being educated at the Waterhouse and Bott stable you know he’s only going to come on from that again and be really rock-hard and ready to go today,” King said.

“He’s smart. He’s got a brain to go with the talent, which is nice to see, as not many two-year-olds would do that first start.

“There’s plenty more to come. He got past the horses on his inside and wandered a touch. He’s still learning how to really put them away. So he’s going to go out and strengthen up, and be bigger and stronger.”

Originally published as King Kirk reigns as Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott score consecutive Breeders’ Plate trifectas at Randwick