We’re off in the first of ten stakes races on Caulfield Guineas Day and we may have seen the emergence of a nice filly in Kiki Express who out-bobbed the million-dollar colt Brereton in the Listed Magic Millions Debutant Stakes (1000m).
Ridden by Damian Lane for trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, the daughter of Sepoy ranged up to the Zoustar colt Brereton and looked ready to go eight on by.
However, Brereton rallied, and the pair hit the line together.
The judge found a margin of a nose for Kiki Express.
The Godolphin pair of Renosu and Magic Carpet are two to follow from the race. Both made up many lengths in the straight with Renosu a half-length back in third ahead of his better-fancied stablemate Magic Carpet (Lonhro) in fourth.
Mathew Ellerton thought his filly had been beaten.
“I thought she just missed the bob. It was great to get it in,” he said.
“She’s just been professional the whole way through. We’d planned to go to Flemington with her and we ran out of time.
“She trialled down the straight and got a bit big in condition. So we bided our time and came here today.
“Good on Jeff (Ellis) and his partners. It’s very exciting.
“To the crew back at home, Adam who usually rides her, she’s been a bit difficult, but she’s come around really well now.
“She could well have done her job now. She’s got to come up in the wither a fair bit. She’s not a big girl. She’s just been so professional the whole way through. She’s just very natural.”
Damian Lane also said he was unsure if he had won.
“I wasn’t sure. If I had put my life on it I would have said I’d got beaten, but she got the bob at the right time,” Lane said.
“She’s a tough filly. She’s really progressed well throughout this preparation.
“To his credit (Brereton) he kicked really strong. My filly picked up and I thought I was the winner. She was good late.
“I just want to say thank you to Jeff Ellis and the partners in this horse. They’re big supporters of the stable and great to get a result like this for them early in the carnival.”
Kiki Express is a homebred for Epona Park's Jeff Allis and partners.
She is the fourth winner from as many to race out of the talented racemare Maloose (Redoute’s choice), whose four wins from 17 starts was highlighted by her win in the Listed SAJC Centaurea Stakes when ridden by (you got it) Danny Brereton.
Epona Park purchased Maloose for $15,000 from Gilgai Stud at the 2018 Inglis Great Southern Sale.
The dam of Maloose, Classic Plume (Military Plume) is a half-sister to Group 1 VRC Lightning Stakes and Group 1 Newmarket Handicap winner Isca, Group III AJC Adrian Knox Stakes winner Set Alight and Listed winners Slapstick and Sadalbari.
Maloose was on-sold again in 2020 on Inglis digital with Aasish Kapadia of Mind Blowing Thoroughbreds picking up the stakes-winner for just $4,500. She was covered by Rich Enuff last year.
Kiki Express becomes the 22nd stakes-winner for Darley Stud’s Sepoy who stands this season at a fee of $4,400.
