Two of South Australia’s finest faced off for the second time in the Listed Durbridge Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville on Saturday and it was Kemalpasa who reversed the decision over his old foe Behemoth.
Paul Gatt made all the running on the elegant chestnut son of Magnus who was making his first start since finishing runner-up in the Group II Linlithgow Stakes at Flemington last October.
The giant gelding Behemoth was a menacing presence on the turn but try as he might the $3million earning son of All Too Hard could get no closer that half a length on the line.
The 3yo Reward For Effort filly Champagne Dreams was a further one and a quarter lengths back in third.
The winner of the race in 2019 when held in the spring, Kemalpasa improved his number of stakes wins to six.
“It was a great thrill as he (Behemoth) has had the wood on us in all his runs,” winning trainer Richard Jolly said.
“I said to Nev Morgan who owns the horse if e is ever going to beat him todays the day.
“It worked out well. He got a soft lead and it set him up for some good sectionals in the final 600m.
“He is just such an honest horse. It all comes down to tactics at the end of the day and there has never been a lot between them. The run he had in front made the difference.
“We have got the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket. He loves it down the straight so the Newmarket may be the go. What we do with him between now and then will be determined on how he pulls up.”
A $140,000 Magic Millions purchase for Richard Jolly from the Kulani Park draft, Kemalpasa runs in the well-known colours of Neville Morgan.
The son of Magnus has been a model of consistency with a record of 13 wins, nine seconds and five thirds from 37 starts with earnings of $1,131,685.
Kemalpasa is the first foal of Yarra Bank, a half-sister by Bianconi (USA) to stakes-winner Honest Politician. Yarra Bank also has a two-year-old colt by Magnus who was purchased by Mark Ganderton for $50,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale.
Blue Gum Farm will consign a half-sister to Kemalpasa by Impending, on behalf of Rob Crabtree’s Dorrington Farm, to the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. (lot 324)
After slipping in 2020, Yarra Bank was covered by Bivouac last spring.
Widden Stud’s Magnus has 11 lots catalogued for the Premier.
