The lone staying event of the day for the older horses at Doomben was the Group 3 JRA Chairman’s Handicap, where the lightly-raced import Kalapour has taken out his first Group 3 success of his 12-start career.
After jumping as the online bookmakers’ favourite at $3.80, the six-year-old gelded son of War Command settled midfield, before making his move on the home turn to run home strong down the outside and pick up the leaders in the final 100m and run away with a nice half-length victory.
Having only his eighth start since arriving on Australian soil, Kalapour has now won his third start to go along with his two placings, and Kris Lees appears to have a nice developing stayer on his hands.
Now that this gelding has broken through to take out his first Group 3 win and won over 2000m, he could potentially go to the Group 3 Premiers Cup at Eagle Farm in two weeks’ time.
2023 JRA Chairman’s Handicap Replay – Kalapour
With Kris Lees in New South Wales at Scone, Mel Eggleston, one his stable representatives spoke post-race about the win of Kalapour.
“The race was run to suit him. It was a great ride from the barrier Kris (Lees) just give him (Tim Clark) an open book,” Eggleston said.
“Just don’t get him too close or fire him up. He showed today that he’s very consistent, got a good win in him somewhere.
“He’s just such a classy galloper and a no fuss horse, he just does everything right.
“He’s the type of horse that tries to please you all the time.
“We’re looking at the 2400m in the next fortnight at Eagle Farm.”
Tim Clark brought up a double with the win on Kalapour on Doomben 10,000 Day, after he piloted Ekaterina to victory in the second race of the day.
“I’m not known to be real patient but I had to be pretty patient there,” Clark said.
“I didn’t want to get on that three-wide line behind a horse that had been there and done it hard the whole way.
“Lining 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 relax and let him show his class late, which he did.
“Really impressive horse, obviously I know he was beaten at a short price the other day, Gai’s horse (Serpentine) is a very good horse.”
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