Goodwood Handicap a Beacon for Kemalpasa

Named after a Turkish town near the port city of Izmir, consistent stakes class sprinter Kemalpasa (Magnus-Yarra Bank, by Bianconi) did his prospects of winning a maiden Group 1 no harm last Saturday with another faultless performance in Adelaide. Third in this year’s Gr1 Oakleigh Plate (1200m) at Caulfield where he was beaten just 0.2-length behind dead-heaters Celebrity Queen (Redoute’s Choice) and Portland Sky (Deep Field), the 5YO gelding was in complete control of Saturday’s Gr3 R N Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville, easily putting paid to Humma Humma (Denman) and Dexelation (Ambidexter). Now the winner of 12 races (four at black-type level) and placed on a further 11 occasions from 32 starts, Kemalpasa’s earnings are closing on the $1 million mark. Co-trainer Richard Jolly was stoked with the performance, according to racenet.com.au, gushing, “He’s a super horse for us and ran right up to his trial. We will let the dust settle but the gut feel is he will go straight to the [Gr1] Goodwood (on 15 May). We will probably gallop him on a race day or barrier trial him to keep him ticking over.”