Matt Clark is optimistic that if first reserve Kuro Kismet sneaks into the field for Saturday night’s Trios Winter Cup final (520m) at Cranbourne, this year’s G3 Launching Pad winner will be a serious threat.
Clark’s opinion is backed up by TAB’s market, where Kuro Kismet is the $3.20 second elect behind $2.20 favourite Immunity, despite requiring a scratching to gain a start.
But if Kuro Kismet, the winner of nine from 27, doesn’t gain a late call-up, Clark has an attractive ‘Plan B’ in the CGRC Special Event, worth a tidy $10,535 to the winner, which is Race 6 at 6.42pm.
“I’ve got a gut feeling he’s going to get a run in the final and if he does he’s right up to it,” said Clark, who’s based at Briagolong, near Sale.
“But I can’t believe the Special Event is worth $10,000. When I saw that I was gobsmacked.
“I said to his owner (Mel Mayle) that being the first reserve we might as well enter for the Special Event because I’ve got to prepare him as if he’s going to run anyway.”
Kuro Kismet made his Cranbourne debut in last Saturday’s Cup heats, backing up after contesting Sandown’s G3 Bill Collins Speed Star series on Wednesday, where he won his match race in a fast 29.25sec but finished sixth on overall times.
The son of Aston Dee Bee narrowly missed out on a berth in the final, running a close third, beaten just two lengths by fastest qualifier Immunity (30.05sec) and Nikoli Bale.
“It was a massive run and backing up after the Speed Star made it even better,” Clark offered.
“He was backing up three days later and up against Immunity but he was unlucky not to qualify.
“He’s going super the dog and if he doesn’t get a run in the final he will be very hard to beat in the Special Event. He’s a ripper. He’s a real trier and gives you 110 per cent every start.
“Drawing box two doesn’t worry me. Some people reckon he’s better suited from the inside and I reckon he goes better off middle to outside boxes but he’ll run a straight line. Boxes don’t really matter because he’s going to flop out and choose a path.
“He’s a nice pup on the way up and I think his best might be over 600m and 700m. He’s got such a powerful finish.”
Clark says Kuro Kismet’s timely emergence as a top-shelf talent made his gut-wrenching decision to hand superstar sprinter Catch The Thief and his G1-winning litter brother Playlist to other trainers due to an ownership dispute a little easier.
“It was a tough call but knowing I had Kuro Kismet in the kennel made it easier,” Clark said.
“Nobody can take away the fact that we reared them, broke them in and Catch The Thief won $180,000 with us and Playlist won $110,000, so we can hold our heads high.
“We’ve got a nice kennel at the moment. I’ve got some young dogs coming through that I’m really looking forward to. We always seem to have a good one on the way up so it’s a nice little recipe we’ve got going.”
