Trading on 'Type'

Published: 12 Jan 2015

Looking close-up - knowing the horses can make the difference between a hard luck story and a collect

Two of the winners at Royal Randwick were horses that needed a bit of faith, you certainly couldn't have picked them from the form sheet. The Hawkes-trained Kaepernick and Waller stayer Diametric both had recent failures on the resume that made them hard to support.

A quick look in the yard could have been enough to change your mind though.

Kaepernick is a strongly-built son of Fastnet Rock. So strong that the 1,400 metres of his previous start at Rosehill was just too long. He got tired in that race and finished seventh.

A step back to 1,150 metres and a quiet ride from Blake Shinn was enough to make the most of the huge power in his frame. His rapid surge to beat two classy gallopers in Meursault and Inz'n'out was the win of a sprinter with real talent.

"INZ'N'OUT, KAEPERNICK and VANDEMONIAN.. stand-outs in the yard." Yard comment @TheRaceGuide

Too much power - Kaepernick revved up and stormed home best

Diametric on the other hand is a horse that is blessed with both strength and athleticism. His biggest weakness is a lack of discipline on race day, often 'fizzing up' with nervous energy in front of the big crowds.

That wasn't such a problem for him on Saturday though as he posted a deserved win via protest over stable-mate The Alfonso. Perhaps the small turnout at Royal Randwick was a blessing in disguise!

Fizzing up - Diametric leaves the yard early during the Autumn Carnival

If you were rating horses on potential, and not performance, they both would  have been near the top of the list.

They managed to put it all together this time. The big question is, can they do it again?

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