A return to Ellerslie later this month looks likely for Princess Kereru after her impressive runner-up performance in the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) at the Auckland track on New Year’s Day.

 

Trained by Ken and Bev Kelso and Mark Donoghue, Princess Kereru looked a winning chance down the straight on Tuesday, but was headed on the line by Santa Monica.

 

Ken Kelso was pleased with the run and said the five-year-old daughter of Pins could bypass the Gr.1 JR & N Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham on January 19 in favour of the Gr.3 Brighthill Farm Concorde Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on Karaka Million night.

 

“It was a huge effort and a great ride from Cameron (Lammas),” Kelso said. “We thought we were home for a while, but the other horse got up.

 

“Maybe we were down in the worst gate on the inside, but I’m making excuses with that. It was a terrific effort, she is Group One placed, so you can’t beat that. 

 

“It’s a great result for the stable and the staff who do all of the hard work and I couldn’t be happier.

 

“She may come back here for the Concorde the week later and try to get that full black-type. But we’ll see how she goes.”

 

 

 

The Mark Blackie-trained La Castile took her tally to four wins from nine starts after taking out the New World Summer Cup (1400m) at Tauranga on Wednesday.

 

In-form hoop Matthew Cameron took the daughter of Dalghar straight to the front in the 1400m event and the four-year-old grey was never headed, winning comfortably over Chicane by 2-1/4 lengths, with Pasabahce a further half-length back in third.

 

“It seemed to be quite easy, I was quite happy with that run,” Blackie said.

 

“She is definitely going the right way, but still has a bit to learn. She’s in open grade now after nine starts, so that is very encouraging.”

 

Blackie scratched her out of the Dunstan Feeds 1500 Championship Final (1500m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day and was pleased he decided to opt for a home track assignment with his stable star.

 

“Today was just to give her a run on her home track and another race,” he said. “Ellerslie was wet on Boxing Day, so it has worked out well.

 

“I’ll just see what she does in the next week or so and have a look at the programme and see what happens.”