Off the board in just one of his 10 starts, 4yo gelding Kiwia kept the Darren Weir ball rolling along with a hard-fought victory in Saturday's Group III MRC Coongy Handicap (2000m) at Caulfield.
A last start runner-up in the Murtoa Cup after winning the Gold Nugget at Ballarat, Kiwia found just five opposing him in the Coongy.
With Damian Lane in the saddle the 4yo son of Reset was all out to hold the challenge of the favourite Samovare by three-quarters of a length with Maurus (GB) a luckless third after having trouble in securing a run. (photo Grant Courtney)
"This horse shows nothing at home. We took him to Warrnambool with no expectations and he won then we took him to Ballarat and he won again.
"He continued to progress. He really hasn't had a spell, he's just been up at the farm, he had three weeks up there swimming and in the paddock.
"We thought we would have a crack at the Bendigo Cup so if he can hold together it looks like he is on track.
"He looks a lot better now. He was a pretty rough looking diamond for a while, he had a shaggy looking old coat on him and was pretty lean. When he went up to the farm he was swimming five days a week and have the weekends off. We fed him the same as if he was in work. He put on a bit of weight and filled out and his coat started to clean up a bit.
"He's a good stayer and got the right attitude. He was a hard-enough horse to get going early days to be perfectly honest. He could buck a bit and John Allen did plenty of work on him."
Bred and raced by bred by Gerry Ryan's Limerick Lane Thoroughbreds, Kiwia advances his record to 6 wins, 1 second and 2 thirds from 13 starts with earnings of $382,650.
He is the first foal of the unraced Danehill Dancer mare Single View a sister to Group III MRC Geoffrey Belmaine Stakes winner Tuscan Sling out of the Listed SAJC Walter Brown Stakes winner Firenza (Kenny's Best Pal).
Single View has a 3yo colt by Bel Esprit named York but it has been nothing but disappointing since.
Her filly foal by Reset died after birth. She slipped to Americain (USA) in 2015 and missed to Puissance De Lune (IRE) last year.
Kiwia becomes the 32nd stakes winner for Darley Stud's Reset who stands for a fee of $16,500 this year.
