Konasana continues Dundeel’s fine autumn
Debbie Kepitis’s busy autumn continued when her homebred Konasana (Dundeel) became the latest stakes-winner for her powerhouse sire, Dundeel (High Chaparral), with an upset victory in Saturday’s James Carr Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at Randwick.
On day one of Randwick’s carnival two weeks ago, Kepitis celebrated as almost $1.3 million came into the coffers of her Woppitt Bloodstock enterprise through the ATC Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) victory of another homebred, Riff Rocket (American Pharoah).
Two days later, the not inconsiderable amount of $10 million dropped out when Kepitis opened her purse at Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale to secure the first living foal of the champion she part-owned, Winx (Street Cry), a filly by Pierro (Lonhro).
On Saturday, the more minor sum of $140,000 came Kepitis’s way when Konsana won the Carr, but the boost to her value from stakes success – her first amid three wins in eight starts – will be worth considerably more.
The win not only gave Chris Waller a hat-trick of victories in the race following those of Espiona (Extreme Choice) and Olentia (Zoustar), but Sydney’s premier trainer had first, second and fourth in the event, with Konasana upsetting favourite Scarlet Oak (Kermadec) and fresh New Zealand import Chica Mojito (Zacinto) just missing the placings. Brad Widdup’s Hasty Honey (Epaulette) gained a dash of black type in third.
Though a city winner at Kensington and Moonee Valley last year, Konasana was little fancied in betting after a first-up fifth over 1100 metres, also at Kensington, firming slightly from $23 yesterday morning to touch $17 before easing to jump at $18.
While she’d brought no heavy form into the race, her Moonee Valley win in a 1600-metre Benchmark 64 in early October had come on a Soft6. It also preceded two fair runs in strong company – a two-length fourth in Caulfield’s Ethereal Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m), and a seventh of 13 in Flemington’s Wakeful (Gr 2, 2000m) to end her spring campaign.
Waller said while that form was encouraging it had proven Konasana was no stayer. Second-up on Saturday, she improved off her first-up run to show the 1400 metres was distinctly to her liking and that so, too, were the conditions, freshly downgraded from a Heavy8 to a 9 for the day’s third race.
Jumping from gate four of 11 for Regan Bayliss, the filly was buried back near last on the fence in the run, but tracked up behind Scarlet Oak around the turn. And when the $4.80 equal favourite drifted on straightening, a gap opened which Konasana charged through as if she’d just entered the race, hitting the front at the 200 metres and streaking away to win by 3.7 lengths.
“She had some good form in the spring. We were aiming for the [VRC] Oaks but she didn’t stay,” Waller said. “Her shorter distance form is good and she’s backed it up today, and she doesn’t mind the wet track, obviously.”
With only two runs under her belt this preparation, Konasana would seem a likely candidate for the Brisbane carnival, though Waller said he was “not too sure” what her immediate future had in store.
“Obviously, winning these types of races is important. She’s not up to the top level, but my job, or our job is to try to keep her at this level and try to get a little bit better as well,” Waller said.
The result made Konasana the 27th stakes winner and 21st Group winner for Arrowfield’s Dundeel (High Chaparral) from 533 runners worldwide. In Australia, from 494 runners he has 23 stakes winners (4.6 per cent) and 18 Group (3.6 per cent).
Konasana is the third foal and first stakes victor of American-bred mare Posing (Medicean). An Irish maiden winner imported to Australia in-foal to Frankel (Galileo) in 2018, Posing was purchased by Woppitt from Coolmore Stud at an Inglis Chairman’s Breeding Prospects Sale three months later for $500,000.
The resultant foal Phosphene won once at Wyong in a three-start career for Kepitis and Waller before retirement, while second foal Pozesana (Deep Field) has won one from 14.
Posing’s yearling colt by Yes Yes Yes (Rubick) was sold at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale this year from the Coolmore draft to CP Stud for $35,000. After missing to Supido (Sebring) in 2022, she was covered in November last year by Coolmore shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni).
Bayliss was full of praise for Konasana and said she could also be suited by a longer trip.
“Today she got into a beautiful rhythm and it was all about getting through the ground and she swum through it, savaging the line,” he said.
“She’ll only get better as she gets out over more ground.”
The well-fancied French Endeavour (Rubick, $4.80 equal favourite), Kristili (Hellbent, $7) and Inhibitions (Zoustar, $5.50) failed in the heavy conditions in the Carr, finishing eighth, ninth and last respectively.