When Kissinger was fifth at the 500m mark of the Pakenham Cup, there was no panic at all from the Lindsey Smith camp.
Their seven-year-old had the great Damien Oliver on his back in the feature worth $300,000, and the two had already combined for two wins from the gelding’s past three starts.
Oliver knew he was aboard a quality stayer, and heading into the turn for home in the 2500m race was when he made his move, which led to the two saluting by a comfortable two lengths.
2022 Pakenham Cup Replay
It was the legendary 50-year-old hoop’s fourth Pakenham Cup victory, Kissinger passing eventual runner-up Nobel Heights on the outside with 150m to go.
“Ollie and this horse are just such a good combination. He just works him out perfectly,” Smith’s stable representative Caitlin Maclarn told Racing.com.
“So I was pretty confident, to be honest.
“He didn’t expose him too early. He gave him a perfect ride and he was super to the line.”
Kissinger could next take his excellent three-wins-from-four-starts preparation to the Bagot Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on December 31.
“The Bagot has been thrown around. We’ll wait and see how he goes after today,” Maclarn said.
“He won that (Pakenham Cup) quite convincingly. So if he pulls up well we might head that way.”
Oliver fell in love with Kissinger’s running style from the moment he first saw him.
He wanted to link up with him ever since, and it has proven to be a formidable combination.
“He’s just gone from strength to strength,” Oliver said.
“I noticed him earlier in his prep when I was riding against him.
“I thought ‘oh, he’s a horse I’d like to get on’.
“And I managed to get on him. We’ve just really clicked – sometimes you just really click with horses.
“And we have. He’s a lovely stayer. He’s got a beautiful attitude and it certainly makes your job a bit easier.”
Oliver realised he had quality horses to the front and outside of him on the straight.
But he always had faith his genuine long-distance performer – now with almost $450,000 in prizemoney to his name – would produce a strong turn of foot late on the straight.
“I had Milford in front and Sound on the outside. They’re a couple of nice horses,” Oliver said.
“He just chimed in at the right time and he’s just progressed really well.
“He was a whisper off being four (wins) straight, which would’ve been quite a record.
“So he’s a really nice progressive stayer.”
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