Ken and Bev Kelso are no strangers to big-race success during the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival, and the Matamata trainers will attempt to add another Hastings trophy to their collection when Alabama Lass steps out as favourite in Saturday’s Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders Gold Trail Stakes (1200m).
The Kelsos have celebrated dozens of black-type wins over the last few decades, including the Gr.1 Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m, now Livamol Classic) with Love Dance in 1996 and an outstanding feature double in September of 2013 with Bounding in the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes and Xanadu in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m, now Arrowfield Stud Plate). For good measure, the couple have also collected Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) placings with Xanadu (2012), Pussy O'Reilly (2014), Supera (2020) and Legarto (2023).
A cruelly timed injury has ruled stable star Legarto out of attempting to add to that Group One record during this year's carnival, but Alabama Lass heads to Hawke's Bay with the right credentials to keep the Kelsos in the black-type spotlight.
The Alabama Express filly turned heads in early February with a stunning nine-length win on debut on her home track. In her only other start as a two-year-old, she was runner-up behind Captured By Love in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes (1200m).
The Kelsos then put Alabama Lass aside until her three-year-old season, which she got underway with a commanding all-the-way win in the Pak 'N' Save 3YO Fillies (1100m) at Taupo on August 21. That Taupo race has been won by the three of the last four Gold Trail Stakes winners – Quintessa (2023), Best Seller (2022) and Miss Aotearoa (2020).
Alabama Lass won by three and a half lengths at Taupo, beating Gold Trail rivals Archaic Smile, Sister Ping and Velocious.
"I've been very happy with the way she's started her three-year-old preparation," Ken Kelso said. "She trialled up well at Te Rapa in early August, then won quite impressively first-up at Taupo.
"I wasn't particularly worried about the way she ran around in the straight in that Taupo race. She just got a bit lost when she hit the front. She still doesn't really know what she's doing and thinks it's all a big game. I think she'll be better if she's a bit closer to the rail and has that to follow.
"She's come through the Taupo run in good shape. I thought she worked particularly well on the course proper at Matamata on Tuesday morning. We're all systems go for Saturday. As long as she travels down to Hastings well, she should be in the right sort of order to put her best foot forward."
Kelso sees some similarities between Alabama Lass and his 2013 Gold Trail winner Bounding, who went on to place in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) before scoring a rare win by a three-year-old filly in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie.
"They're both on-speed types with a bit of class," he said. "I'm not sure yet how far this filly will go. Bounding went on to run second in the 1000 Guineas, and was very unlucky not to win it, but she never looked like running 1600m again after that and ended up winning a Railway. Time will tell for this filly, although I'm encouraged by how well she seems to relax in her races."
The TAB rates Alabama Lass a $2 favourite to win Saturday's Gold Trail Stakes. Captured By Love is the second favourite at $4, with Velocious on the third line of betting at $6.
