Kebede goes from Grafton maiden winner to genuine Queensland Oaks contender

JIM Byrne was worried he didn’t have much winter firepower, but he went bang when Kebede zoomed into Queensland Oaks contention at Doomben.

BEN DORRIES

3 min read

May 21, 2016 - 5:21PM

The Sunday Mail (Qld)

On rise: Kebede (right) swamps her rivals to win The Roses. Picture: AAP

JIM Byrne was worried he didn’t have much Winter Carnival firepower, but he went bang when one-time awkward filly Kebede zoomed into Queensland Oaks contention at Doomben.

The Queensland jockey has all his carnival eggs in one basket with Kebede, who he tipped as a likely Oaks filly when he rode her to a humble 1200m maiden win at Grafton in March.

Byrne’s faith proved justified when the Matt Dunn-trained Kebede won a rough-house race in The Roses (2000m), giving bookmakers a good result as she paid $31 on the UBET tote.

She firmed from $26 to $12 for the Group 1 Oaks.

“It was only a few days ago I was saying I just didn’t have the firepower for this Winter Carnival,” Byrne said.

“Sometimes you get on good carnival horses, and sometimes you don’t.

“But Kebede was one horse who I earmarked a long way out as a potential Oaks horse.

“Even when I rode her at Grafton, I knew she was something special.

“I have always liked her and things are now starting to come to fruition.

“I’m sure she is only going to be bigger and better once she gets over the road (to Eagle Farm) for the Oaks in a fortnight.’’

Jockey Jim Byrne approves of his victory on Kebede. Picture: AAP

There was interference early in The Roses, with Godolphin filly Ambience copping the worst of it after Brad Stewart (Mystic Opal) jagged in and shortened up Ambience.

While there were several luckless runs, favourite Imposing Lass lost no admirers after being trapped three-wide for an eternity from a wide barrier and then sitting outside the leader.

Bjorn Baker’s filly had the temerity to keep kicking in the straight and ran third, only beaten a length and a half.

“I would not swap her for anything in the Oaks,’’ Baker said. “That was a massive, massive run.’’

However, Dunn insists his filly, who he bought at the Magic Millions, will improve again and be hard to beat in the Oaks.

The Murwillumbah trainer indicated Kebede would love the extra distance of the Oaks, and he planned to only work her lightly in the next fortnight.

“When we bought her she was an awkward-looking filly who always looked like she would need time to mature,’’ Dunn said.

“She has come a long way from a Grafton maiden only a couple of months ago.

“She has had a couple more runs than what we would have wanted but we needed to get some prizemoney and some ratings points to get her into some good races.

“It is fair to say she is screaming out to go further and I will just keep her ticking over with some light work in the next couple of weeks.’’

The Chris Waller-trained Counterattack pulls off a huge plunge. Picture: Mark Cranitch

Waller’s Attack goes for ‘broke

FRED BEST CLASSIC

BOOKIES were reeling after an old-fashioned betting plonk came good and Chris Waller’s classy colt Counterattack shot into Stradbroke Handicap contention at Doomben.

Counterattack was a huge plunge in the final minutes of betting in the Fred Best, a race which gives the winner automatic entry into the rich Stradbroke.

Scratched from the Group 1 BTC Cup a week earlier, Counterattack was backed from $7 into $4 as punters landed the plunge.

The three-year-old, who has campaigned in Brisbane before during his juvenile season last year, sat three-wide the trip and was still too good for his rivals.

The bookies from UBET immediately elevated Counterattack to the third line of Stradbroke betting at $7 (in from $16).

The Waller sprinter is behind only Azkadellia and Goodwood winner Black Heart Bart in Stradbroke markets.