Sassy Lass comes into the Counties Cup on a low weight and will be hard to beat. Photo / Trish Dunell
Warren Kennedy is hoping a return to the track that put him on the map in New Zealand will provide him with a summer springboard today.
Kennedy has had a superb three years since moving to New Zealand from his native South Africa, including winning the national jockey’s premiership last year in his first full season riding here.
As good as he has been at tracks up and down the country, it was Pukekohe that launched him to prominence by winning the Karaka Million 3-Year-Old on Prowess when it was held there in 2023.
Then at the same venue on New Year’s Day 2024 he rode a New Zealand record seven winners, including Waitak in the Sistema Railway.
After two huge seasons, Kennedy has travelled less in the past 12 months as he wanted to spend more time with his family, including wife Barb, who is enjoying success as a trainer.
But even with 17 wins this season, the jockey, who rides on a retainer for Cambridge Stud, admits winning chances in black-type races have been harder to come by.
“We have had a bit of bad luck with some of the good Cambridge Stud horses either being retired or a few having the odd issue and I haven’t quite been getting the rides on horses who could win the bigger races,” Kennedy said.
“But I really like my book this Saturday and these things go in cycles and I know it will turn.”
His first black type winner of the season could come today with Jaarffi (R8, No 5) in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Breeders, even though she has drawn wide.
“I am not that worried by the draw as she is a mare who gets back anyway and I think she has a great chance,” Kennedy said.
“She will be better for her last start when she peaked late and her work at home has been great.”
Jaarffi may not have a Group 1 win yet but she was second in a Group 1 and a Group 2 last season and has a fitness edge over some of her key rivals today, most importantly Orchestral.
That wonderful mare resumes with today’s 1400m almost certainly too short for her. Trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood suggest she will be better for the run and her stablemate Arabian Songbird is rated at least as good a chance today.
While Jaarffi is favourite for the Breeders, Kennedy is on the best-backed runner in today’s $170,000 MyRacehorse Counties Cup in Sassy Lass, who has moved from $11 on opening into $6.50 second favouritism.
Sassy Lass’s best form has been on heavy or soft tracks and Pukekohe had dried from a Heavy 8 on Wednesday to a Slow 5 last night and could be a Good 4 by the time the Cup is run at 4.43pm.
“That doesn’t bother me, I think she can still be proficient on a good track,” Kennedy said.
“She was a strong third last start, gets in on a low weight and has to be a good hope.”
Sharp N Smart, carrying a 100 rating into the Cup, has compressed many of the weights below him meaning last season’s Waikato and Avondale Cup winner Blue Sky At Night finds herself on the 53kg minimum, remarkable for a Stayer of the Year finalist last season.
Kennedy rides Pour The Wine for his wife in a speed-freak Haunui Farm Counties Bowl, with the race having some speedsters that concern Kennedy.
“She is going well but she is a mare who you want to find a nice spot with and they might go so fast here we are all flat out keeping up, which I don’t think suits her.”
Kennedy said punters should follow Mollify, who could start in Race 2 or Race 5 today. If she doesn’t get a start off the ballot in the latter, Kennedy will transfer to Lachie (R5. No 8), who he also gave a good each-way chance.
Today’s other domestic racing is at Whanganui, while in Australia the Kiwi focus will be on Gringotts starting the favourite in the A$1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange.
Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.