Trainer Jim Conlan keen to see what Kiko can do at Caulfield

Jim Conlan, excited to unleash expensive Kiko in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes, has credited his stable’s recent success to his “gun” track rider.

Jaz Trenwith with Caulfield contender No Puzzle. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Jim Conlan, who will find out what expensive Kiko has under the bonnet in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield, has credited his stable’s recent success to “gun” track rider Jasmine Trenwith.

Conlan has spent 12 months preparing and protecting Kiko, a $720,000 Capitalist filly, to compete in rich and pedigree-building autumn two-year-old features.

“I don’t have her fully wound up, but I don’t imagine anybody will have their horses fully wound up for this race, most of them are kicking off in it,” five-time Group 1 winner Conlan said.

“I would love to see her hitting the line … whether it’s in the finish or just off the finish, I’m not sure.

“But I do expect her to be hitting the line strongly on Saturday.”

Kiko ran a credible sixth on debut last November in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes at Caulfield.

She resumes on Saturday with a view to enhance Blue Diamond-VRC Sires’ Produce stakes claims.

“If she performs well on Saturday we’ll continue going that way (Blue Diamond),” Conlan said.

“I’ve never really galloped her at her top, always make sure there’s a bit in hand with her.

“All the trials have been very quiet … only time she‘s going to get to her top is at the end of a race.

“She’s going to be ready to run on Saturday and three weeks later, if she performs well, she’ll be ready to go in the Blue Diamond.

“Then two weeks after that the VRC Sires’ Produce or (Group 3) Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes … she’ll be right at her peak for that Saturday (March 12).

“We still want to see something this weekend, we need for her to be at the pointy end of the race.”

Boutique trainer Conlan has three entries at Caulfield, including last-start winners No Puzzle (Race 5) and Mister Yu Shu (Race 8), his biggest Saturday metropolitan team since May 2020.

Conlan has recorded six winners – all different horses – from his past 20 starters.

The development of showjumper-turned-track rider “Jaz” Trenwith, an aspiring apprentice jockey, who defied early adversity in the saddle to become “a gun”, has powered Conlan’s recent success.

Conlan, who hired Trenwith about two years ago, relies heavily on the established rider’s feedback.

“For the first month she fell off every day,” Conlan laughed.

“She could ride but couldn’t ride this discipline … but she kept getting back on and she’s now a gun.

“Jaz makes an enormous difference to my stable … rides nearly all the track work and does all my jumpouts.

“She rides them so sweetly, doesn’t give them a hard time, so they’re always happy in their work.

“If a horse has got any issue she picks up on it straight away, a lameness or whatever, really got a feel for it.

“She’s done most of the work on Kiko … would do the bulk of the work on all of them and those horses that are winning, she’s made a big difference to them.”

Originally published as Trainer Jim Conlan keen to see what Kiko can do at Caulfield