Kailash

Kailash ran well on his seasonal debut to take third place behind Team Of Firsts in the 10-furlong median auction three-year-olds’ maiden at Navan on Saturday.

Well away from his inside draw, he travelled down the back straight along the inside, just behind the front rank. Still travelling well when they straightened up for home, he picked up nicely for Oisin Orr on the run to the two-furlong marker to join the front rank. But he was forced to make his challenge towards the far side, probably on the worst of the ground, and that wasn’t ideal. He was never getting to the impressive winner Team Of Firsts, but he stayed on well on the far side to take third place, in front of Camino Mission and Skilled Warrior, and closing on outsider Play The Crowd for the runner-up spot all the way to the line.

It was an encouraging three-year-old debut by Dermot Weld’s horse. He didn’t win last year as a juvenile, but he didn’t make his racecourse debut until early September, and he finished second to current warm 1000 Guineas favourite Santa Barbara in her maiden at The Curragh in mid-September. His dam is a half-sister to Kaleefa, whose only win was in a 12-furlong maiden, and he is from the family of Kalanisi. He is bred for middle distances, and he raced here as if he could easily step up to a mile and a half. It is interesting that his trainer thought enough of him to include him among his four entries for the Irish Derby.
Navan, 27^th March 2021