Kahma Lass (NZ) Shows Class at Caulfield

Last season’s Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) heroine Kahma Lass (NZ) (Darci Brahma) added Australian blacktype to her CV with a powerful finishing burst in Saturday’s A$175,000 Listed The Big Screen Company Weekend Hussler (1400m) at Caulfield. 

Bought by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis for $290,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2019, Kahma Lass has now won three of her seven starts and more than $296,000 in prizemoney, with stakes wins on both sides of the Tasman adding significantly to her value.

Racing in the colours of Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Kahma Lass had finished an unlucky eighth in last month’s Group Three How Now Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in her first appearance as a four-year-old.

She took a big step forward on Saturday with a sustained burst from second-last, sailing past Buffalo River (Noble Mission) to score by three-quarters of a length.

“It was great to see her return to winning form,” trainer Jamie Richards said. “She ran really well first-up, but we just needed a bit of luck on our side, and it was good to get back down in the weights and ride her more conservatively.

“I thought Brett (Prebble) gave her a lovely ride, was able to capitalise on a genuine tempo, got to the outside and really finished off well. It was a good strong win.

“Being a Group One winner in New Zealand, and now a stakes winner in Australia, her value has increased considerably and we can all look forward to her next assignment.

“She’s a proper good mare on her day. A race like the Cantala Stakes (1600m, Group One, October 30) comes to mind – a handicap, down in the weights – but there are plenty of options for her.”

Kahma Lass delivered the first leg of a big Melbourne double for Richards, the Lindsays and Ellis, with superstar stablemate Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) landing the Group One Might And Power Stakes (2000m) later in the afternoon.

“Kahma Lass was a brilliant 1000 Guineas winner and I’m absolutely thrilled to see her win second-up as a four-year-old mare for Brendan and Jo,” Ellis said.

“I bought Kahma Lass from Greg Tomlinson’s Nearco Stud. Greg punches well above his weight as a breeder, and anything carrying the NS brand, you know it’s always a chance.

“Adding to the thrill, she’s by Darci Brahma (NZ), who I also bought as a yearling as Karaka, and he’s a champion sire that has shown again his ability to leave world-class racehorses.”

Vendor	Curraghmore
Purchaser	Mr DC Ellis (Te Akau)
Breeding	Darci Brahma – Distinctive Lass
Sale	Lot 684, Karaka 2019 Book 1, $290,000
Bred by	Nearco Stud