Kroner Takes It To The Next Level

 
14 Aug 2009

Viking Ruler's son dead-heats with multiple Group One winner, Mentality.


Kroner, a dual Listed Race winner for his sire Viking Ruler last season, took his form to the next level when sharing the winning honours with Mentality in an exciting dead-heat result to today's Group Two Premiere Stakes at
Rosehill
Gardens in

Sydney
.

Kroner was expertly ridden by Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, Blake Shinn.  He was last away and not hurried.  Shinn had to desperately look for racing room in the home straight, but the big son of Viking Ruler responded gamely to the ride.  A stride short of the post he was in front, but Mentality's head came up in time to cause a dead-heat result to the A$150,000 feature.

Kroner is prepared by Bart Cummings and won two Listed Races at Randwick during the autumn and winter - the AJC Hallmark Stakes (pictured right) on a rain-drenched track during the Autumn and the AJC June Stakes on a heavy (9) two months later.

Kroner has proved in no uncertain terms that he is not just a 'mudder' and his master trainer will no doubt be looking for further black type options during the upcoming spring carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne.

Kroner, a five-year-old, is from the first crop of Cambridge Stud's Viking Ruler, who gained his first Group One winner last season when Court Ruler won the Queensland Derby.