After 12 starts Kingaroy finally got to drop that dreaded maiden tag when he won the first race of the day at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.  On a track that was rated as a Soft 7 the 4-year old bay gelding won the SLADE BLOODSTOCK PTY LTD Maiden Handicap over the 1600metres in a time of 1:40:26.

Jumping from barrier 9 jockey Michael Cahill, wearing the Santa cap, let Kingaroy drift back to the inside settling at the rear of the field and into a nice rolling run.  As the field moved around the course, it was Secret Agent Man was the who took up the role as front runner. There was not much change to the race positions of the field as they travelled along the back of the course and towards the home bend with Kingaroy maintaining his spot at the back of the pack some seven to eight lengths off the leader.

However, as they started to turn into the home straight Cahill decided to make his move on Kingaroy.  The gelding had been conserving his energy by keeping to the inside rail and when the time came he was ready to go.  As they hit the 400metre mark both horse and jockey had a wall of horses in front of them and with nowhere to go Cahill had to ride for luck.  The opportunity came when the race leader, Secret Agent Man, began tire and fall back in the field.  He drifted ever so slightly to the outside and this presented the gap that Cahill needed to push Kingaroy through.  At the 150metre mark Kingaroy burst though and Cahill sat down to ride him hands and heels to claim the lead and take the win by half a length over Omnia Tidak Takut.

By the Queensland based stallion Rothesay, Kingaroy is out of the Al Hareb (USA) Bethany. To say that he is well named is stating the obvious.  Based at Kingaroy, just south past the airport, is the homestead named ‘Bethany’, which used to be the home to the late Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen and his wife Lady Flo.

Congratulations to all owners and connections.

[Photos courtesy of Grant Peters, Trackside Photography]