A strong return to winning form by grey Divikara kicked off a winning treble for Kendrick Racing on the Sunshine Coast Poly Track.
The stable enjoyed a stand-out afternoon of racing on Sunday (May 18), with Divikara’s effort followed by strong performances from Heart And Spirit and Inside Passage.
Divikara ($1.90 favourite) relished a drop in grade in a Class 3 (1600m). Under a composed ride from Bailey Wheeler, the gelding settled comfortably before finishing strongly to score by one-and-a-quarter lengths.
Trainer Stuart Kendrick praised both horse and rider.
“It was a great ride by Bailey Wheeler,” Kendrick said.
“Divikara has been consistent without winning of late,” Kendrick said.
“In a small field, Bailey let him find his feet early. As they sprinted at the top of the straight, he came off the bit, but once he balanced up, he was very strong through the line.”
The win reaffirmed the stable’s long-held opinion of the horse’s ability. “He has always shown city class potential and, hopefully, he can bounce back to that this preparation,” Kendrick said.
The momentum continued in a Benchmark 65 (1000m) when Heart And Spirit ($4), piloted by apprentice Steph Tierney, prevailed in a gripping four-horse finish.
Despite covering extra ground, the mare’s determination proved decisive in the final strides.
“Heart And Spirit showed plenty of that,” Kendrick said.
“She had a wide run, but never gave up, and stuck her head out at the right time to make it two wins from her last three starts,” he said.
Kendrick was quick to highlight her upside, both on the track and as a future broodmare.
“She’s the sort of mare that, on her day, can beat some good fields,” he said.
“A full sister to Jonker, she has good residual value in the breeding barn. Hopefully, we can get her to win a city race before she retires.”
The treble was sealed in staying fashion when Inside Passage ($4.40) claimed a Class 1 and Maiden Plate (2000m).
Ridden patiently by Brandon Lerena, the three-year-old proved too strong late, scoring by three-quarters of a length in testing conditions.
Kendrick believes the gelding’s performance pointed to a bright future.
“Inside Passage showed that he’s got plenty of staying potential,” he said.
“It was a great ride by Brandon Lerena. He was strong at the end of 2000 metres under testing, wet conditions.”
With natural progression expected, Kendrick suggested the horse would benefit from time to mature.
“He is still only a three-year-old and will develop after a break and has the potential to get even better.”
