The Group III VRC Ottawa Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Oaks day has attracted an exciting full field of two year-old filles, but the testing material will be Kiki Express, who beat $1million colt Brereton on debut to win the Listed MRC Debutant Stakes.
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A homebred for Epona Park’s Jeff Allis and partners, Sepoy filly Kiki Express was sensational on debut when outpointing two quality colts in Brereton and Renosu, who filled the quinella in the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate on Tuesday.
It has been far from smooth sailing for the Matthew Ellerton and Simon Zahra trained Kiki Express, who is lucky to be alive after suffering a shocking paddock accident as a foal at Epona Park.
“Kiki Express could of very easily be called ‘Scarface’ – as when she was eight months old I was doing the feed run and she came over with half her forehead skin hanging down having scalped herself on a railing,” recalled Jeff Allis.
“We took her up and Simon from Golden Plains Veterinary came over and put 156 staples in her head to get her back in shape, not surprisingly she has been touchy around the head ever since and not the easiest filly to handle.
“I’d like to give a big hats off to all those unsung heroes who look after and educate these babies- In Kiki’s case Adam and Jade at Ellerton Zahra - she wouldn’t have been an easy filly to deal with but hopefully somewhat rewarding now!”
Unraced runners include a bevy of well bred beauties with the most expensive filly being Satin Love, an $800,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Arrowfield Stud draft for James Harron Bloodstock.
Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, she is a three-quarter sister by Snitzel to Group III winner Anders and full sister to stakes-placed Battleground being from good producer Madam Andree.
Annabel Neasham puts the polish on Diamond City, who has placed in her only two Sydney trials and is a full sister to stakes-winner King of Hastings being by Ilovethiscity from Handcut.
