Never off the board in eight starts, Kimochi faces going winless throughout the Spring if she comes up short in Saturday's $1,500,000 Group 1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas at Caufield.
After closing the Autumn with a third in the $1,100,000 Group II Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick, the daughter of Brave Smash (JPN) began her Spring campaign with a third in the Group II Silver Shadow Stakes, second in the Group II Furious Stakes, second in the Group II Tea Rose Stakes, second in the Group 1 Flight Stakes and third in the Listed Desirable stakes.
With earnings of $456,000, Kimochi has not won since breaking her maiden on the Kensington track at Randwick in March.
A $21,000 purchase for Hall of Fame Bloodstock from the Valiant Stud draft at the 2021 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, the Gary Portelli-trained filly is the least expensive of the 13 fillies set to contest Saturday's Classic.
She is the second winner from as many to race for the unraced I Am Invincible mare Summer Fun, who hails from the family of Jakkalberry (IRE) filly Elusive Express, who finished second in the Thousand Guineas in 2021 to the royally bred Snitzel filly Yearning, who she has beaten at her previous start in the Edward Manifold Stakes.
Both Kimochi and Elusive Express trace back to Etoile de France (Arctic Star x Miss France by Jock), a sister to the Irish Derby winner Fidalgo and half-sister to Irish Derby winner Talgo (Krakatoa).
Etoile de France is the dam of Pretty Polly Stakes winner Place D'Etoile (IRE), the fifth dam of Elusive Express, and Pantoufle (GB), the seventh dam of Kimochi.
Pantoufle's daughter Sunbittern (Sea Hawk) is the dam of the Park Hill Stakes winner High Hawk, the dam of triple Group 1 winner In The Wings (Sadler's Wells), an early success story for Darley as the sire of the global superstar Singspiel.
Sunbittern (Sea Hawk) is also the dam of High Tern, the dam of the 1998 Epsom Derby hero High Rise, while another daughter, Seriema produced the Group 1 Woodbine Canadian International Stakes winner Infamy (Shirley Heights), the dam of four stakes-winners including Moon Queen (Sadler's Wells) the dam of Kooringal Stud's War Front stallion The Brothers War (USA).
Moon Queen's unraced sister Distinctly (IRE) is the dam of Summerbliss (Danehill Dancer), who Michael Kent trained for Rick Jamieson's Gilgai Farm.
A $190,000 purchase for Dermot Farrington Bloodstock from the Coolmore Stud draft at the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Summerbliss won just once, a Ballarat maiden on debut, in ten starts.
However, she finished second in the Listed Ethereal Stakes at her second start; at her third start, she finished third in the Group 1 Victoria Oaks, won by Dear Demi, and later placed in the Group III SA Classic and Listed Alexandra Stakes.
Kimochi's dam, Summer Fun, was the first foal of Summerbliss. A $175,000 purchase for Aquis / Blue Sky Bloodstock Pty Ltd (FBAA) at the 2017 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Summer Fun was unraced, but her sister, Real Charisma, faired better for Bob Peters, winning four on the trot and finishing third in the Group III La Trice Classic.
Kia-Ora Stud shelled out $80,000 for Summer Fun from the Lime Country Thoroughbreds draft at the 2022 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale when carrying a Russian Revolution colt, and she foaled a Captivant filly in August.
At the same venue a year earlier, Paul Moroney Bloodstock / Pegasus Bloodstock had the final say at $44,000 for Summer Fun when carrying an Invader filly.
Kimochi has not had the rub of the green recently, but with Craig Williams in the saddle from barrier four, she will hopefully get the result she richly deserves.
