Mandalong Kiss steps up for 2000m win

It was a case of all change with 200m to run in the first at Rosehill on Saturday after Mandalong Kiss and Andrew Banks came with a mid-track run to overcome the early leaders and then hold off fellow challengers in the #Theraces Bm 72 Handicap (2000m).

Banks had sent Mandalong Kiss forward from her outside barrier of eight to find the rails and then settled back while the rest of the field sorted out their running order.

Northern Journey (carried 57kg) apprentice Deanne Panya went to the lead into the back straight and then Erika (56kg) and Tommy Berry went past the field and Northern Journey at the 1200m to take over. At the 1000m these two were 6L out from the rest. Banks and Mandalong Kiss were fifth and then sixth as they approached the top straight.

The field eventually closed on the leading duo as they swung for the main straight and Banks went wide to the middle for his run. Birds Of Tokyo (carried 55kg) and apprentice Jessica Payne took over from the tiring leading pair at the 200m and then with 150m to run Banks had Mandalong Kiss (58kg) out in the lead.

From that point Mandalong Kiss went to the line to record her third win from 20 starts with the margin 1/2L to the $3.60 favourite Birds Of Tokyo (Nicconi) with My Giuliano (Choisir) (58kg) and Hugh Bowman third, the margin 3/4L. Northern Journey was fourth.

The time was 2.07.01 on the Heavy 9 track with the final 600m in 37.48. Punters were surprised with Mandalong Kiss paying $21.00 on fixed odds and $21.30 on the tote.

Mandalong Kiss rattles home off the back of a hot tempo to win the #TheRaces Handicap at #Rosehill.https://t.co/Bp70d6iJG9

— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 27, 2016

“When those two in front went hard Andrew allowed her to drift back and be balanced and she finished off really strong,” said Nickson.

Nickson said that five-year-old War Pass mare, out of the Catbird mare Kiss That Cat, was regularly spelled with her owners Mandalong Stud with the spells suiting her racing. With six placings she has now earned stakes of $152,150.

Punters returned to winning form in the second, the Strassmeir Bm 82 Handicap (1500m), when the well supported Antonio Giuseppe (NZ) (54kg) under Brenton Avdulla made it home in the final strides over Extensible (56.5kg) and Kerrin McEvoy.

The Shocking four-year-old gelding made it two wins in succession for the Waller stable. Punters were on good terms with the outcome after backing him from $4.60 on fixed odds into $2.60 and heavy late support on the tote saw the price firm from $3.90 into $2.60 as well. One punter would have been pleased with their $1,000 @ $4.20 wager.

Shards was third under his top weight of 58kg under apprentice Deanne Panya. The track was upgraded to a Heavy 8 after the race with the time of 1.31.56 and the final 600m of 36.46 clocked.