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Cambridge trainer Tony Pike has confirmed high-class three-year-old filly Kali will head straight to the Gr.1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton next month after her impressive winning performance at Ashburton on Saturday.
Pike spent time with the Darci Brahma filly on Sunday morning before flying home from Christchurch and was delighted with the way his charge had pulled up from her exertions the previous day.
Forced to sit wide on the pace throughout the running of the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m), Kali treated her age-group rivals with disdain as she shot clear in the run home before cruising to a comfortable half-length victory.
Pike was pleased with all aspects of the performance, particularly the way his charge handled the travel schedule on her way to Ashburton after the decision was made to bypass a run at Ellerslie next weekend.
"We had a look at the long-range weather forecast as we had originally intended to run her in the Soliloquy Stakes (Gr.3, 1400m) at Ellerslie this coming weekend," Pike said.
"It looked like we might get a pretty wet track there so we rolled the dice and flew her down south on Wednesday.
"She handled it all in her stride, although when Ashburton copped some pretty heavy rain on Thursday and Friday and the track came up a Heavy10, it didn't look like such a smart decision.
"We were committed to running and when I arrived at the track on Saturday, I was pleasantly surprised to see it was a lot better than the rating it had been given.
"She didn't get a lot of luck during the race but she was good enough to overcome that and has bounced through it in great order.
"It's four weeks until the 1000 Guineas so she won't need another run, it's just a matter of keeping her in one piece until then."
Kali is raced by majority shareholder Dick Karreman from The Oaks Stud, along with Pike and close friend Bruce Sherwin under the Frontier Bloodstock banner and Pike is keen to increase the filly's future value with some Group One black-type next to her name.
"She is a valuable filly now with that first stakes victory so the goal now is to increase that with some Group One black-type," he said.
"Bruce and I bought her off her Singapore-based breeder before she had her first race and when she won that so impressively there was a fair bit of interest in her from offshore.
"Rick Williams from the Oaks Stud approached us on Dick's behalf so a deal was struck where we could retain a small share in her and I would keep the training responsibilities. It was a real win-win situation and one we're thankful for.
"Once she is fully matured, she could be a top-class mare so it's an exciting time."
While Pike is busy with his domestic team and the upcoming spring features, his attention will turn to Melbourne on Friday night where star sprinter The Bostonian will tackle the Gr.1 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley.
A close-up third last start behind Trekking, who finished third to Yes Yes Yes in Saturday's A$14m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick, The Bostonian looks well placed in the Manikato although he looks like having to beat top Sydney three-year-old Bivouac if he is to claim his first Melbourne Group One.
Bivouac has won his last two starts, beating Yes Yes Yes in both of them and will start a hot favourite on Friday night.
"He (The Bostonian) is super and we're heading into Friday night with high hopes," Pike said.
"However, after Yes Yes Yes won the Everest on Saturday the task got a lot harder with all reports that Bivouac will be lining up against us.
"I don't think it will be an overly big field and The Valley suits our horse as the track doesn't get too firm there but when you are racing at that level you need everything to go your way.
"All I know is that our guy will be hitting the line hard so if he can get a good barrier then I'm sure he can be pretty competitive."
