27 Jan 2022Well-related mare Kanzai showed the steely side of her nature with a determined display to win at Pakenham.
Placed at her previous appearance at Cranbourne over 1400 metres, our daughter of Savabeel appreciated the step up to a mile to score for the second time in an 11-start career that is soon to come to a close as she is in foal to Blue Point.
Trained by Nigel Blackiston, Kanzai was taken back by rider Michael Dee from the outside gate to settle third last and started to pick up ground across the top. They swung wide into the straight and, after hitting the front 250 metres off the post, stayed on strongly.
“That was very much deserved for her, she has been going well this preparation,” Dee said, “She has been well placed by Nigel and this looked the perfect race for her.
“I felt like I had it won as soon as we straightened and, if anything, probably got to the front too soon.”
Kanzai was a A$425,000 purchase at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and is out of the unraced O’Reilly mare Splits, whose four foals to race have all been successful.
The dam is a daughter of the two-time Group 1 winner Legs and the family of recent G1 Zabeel Classic winner Tiptronic.