Kaepernick Wins Southern Cross Stakes
Photo: Steve Hart

Kaepernick Wins Southern Cross Stakes

Kaepernick has produced a strong turn of foot to beat a classy field to the line in the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick this afternoon.

The Fastnet Rock gelding resumed for a credible fourth in the Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) on January 13th, but was flat in an 800m trial at Warwick Farm earlier this month and received only a sprinkling of bets in the lead-up to the Southern Cross Stakes.

Jumping from the gates well, jockey Brenton Avdulla elected to take a position off-pace with Kaepernick as Oxford Poet, Deploy and Dothraki ensured that the race would be run at a good clip.

Offered a clear line upon arriving at the final straight, Kaepernick ($7.50) immediatedly responded when asked for an extra effort and found the lead; sustaining a strong run to the line to withstanding a strong finish from Dothraki ($5.50).

Boss Lane ($20) continued his strong run of form in Sydney by running on for third, while Oxford Poet boxed on well to finish fourth.

Deploy ($2) and Clearly Innocent ($9) were both launching their Autumn Carnival campaigns in the Southern Cross Stakes, but the former tailed off to finish at the rear of the field while the latter was held up for a run in the straight and was never given a chance.

Deploy has drifted to odds of $51 in our Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes betting market following this afternoon’s lacklustre run, while Clearly Innocent remains a $31 shot for the major sprint on Day 1 of The Championships.