Newcastle trainer Kris Lees will target another group 3 $200,000 race in Queensland for Kalapour after his impressive win in the JRA Chairman's Handicap (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday.
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The six-year-old War Command gelding, a $3.80 favourite, was ridden quietly back in the field from gate 11 by Tim Clark, who found clear running down the outside as the field straightened.
Helped by a healthy tempo up front, Kalapour wore down the leaders in the final strides to win by a half length.
It was the Irish-bred import's first crack at stakes level in Australia and Lees was now looking to the Premier's Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on May 27.
"We'll look at stepping him up to 2400 but whether he runs a strong 2400, that's another thing," Lees said.
Clark said Saturday's run and the decision to ride Kalapour quietly will serve him well over 2400m next start.
"He still wants to get on with it a little bit so lighting him up today and getting caught wide was probably going to ruin his whole prep, so we had to take our medicine a little bit, get him back relaxed, and let him show his class late, which he did," Clark told Sky Racing on Saturday.
"I'm not known for being real patient but I had to be pretty patient. I didn't want to get on that three-wide line and behind a horse who had sort of been there and done it hard the whole way. Before the race I was keen to find the back of a horse like Otyrar, and it happened to be there."
Craig Kerry
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
