Matamata trainer Ken
Kelso has done his form and believes Bounding is poised to make an immediate
impact in Melbourne.Kelso will saddle this year's Gr.1 Railway Stakes winner in Saturday's Gr.2 $A400,000 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
Australian bookmakers have installed the four-year-old Lonhro mare as a $5 third favourite for the "straight-six" sprint, behind $2.80 favourite Chautauqua and Temple of Boom at $4.40.
A winner of seven of her 11 starts, Bounding has had just one previous start in Australia, a last-start second placing to Sidestep in the $A500,000 Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
That day she was beaten a head by Sidestep, with In Cahoots finishing third and Chautauqua seventh.
While Bounding has not started again since, Chautauqua resumed with a smart win in the Gr.3 Bobby Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington last month, defeating Temple Of Boom and In Cahoots to provide Kelso with an encouraging form reference.
"We beat Chautauqua in the Royal Sovereign Stakes and she's come out and won well first-up," Kelso said.
"In Cahoots, who was third behind us in that Sydney race, went a good race the other day too, so our form looks pretty good.
"Her record fresh is very good. I would have liked to have had a run at home, but that didn't eventuate for one reason or another. But she's very well. She's had two exhibition gallops and a trial and she's as good as we can get her. I'd like to think she'll be very competitive."
Bounding flew to Melbourne last Saturday and had settled in well to her stabling at Flemington, Kelso said.
"She's eating well and she's galloped well. She's really relaxed about being here," he said.
"After this weekend, she'll probably go to the Caulfield Sprint in two weeks unless she wins impressively and then we might take on Lankan Rupee and Buffering in the Manikato. Her main target is the Darley Classic, so that's why we wanted practice down the straight six this weekend."
The Gr.2 $A200,000 Caulfield Sprint is run on October 18, six days before the Gr.1 $A1 million Maikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley, while the $A1 million Darley Classic (1200m) is at Flemington on November 8. – NZ Racing Desk.
