Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Up-and-coming pacer Kimble got Mundijong trainer Michael Young away to a flyer at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he scored a decisive victory in the opening event, the 2130m Cowden The Insurance Brokers Pace.
It was a perfect start for the 33-year-old Young, who ended the night with his most successful meeting with four winners — Kimble, Eighteen Carat, Firerockfireroll and The Mustang.
Kimble arrived in Western Australia with an excellent reputation as a Group 1 winner in Victoria for trainer-reinsman Matthew Craven, and his first three starts in WA have indicated that he should be a worthy contender in the rich feature events for four-year-olds in the coming months.
He was the $1.30 favourite from barrier five on Friday night when he revealed his customary sparkling gate speed to burst straight to the front before setting a solid pace and dashing over the final three 400m sections in 28.3sec., 28.8sec. and 28.4sec. on his way to winning by two lengths from $13 chance Little Bit Of Fun, rating 1.57.1.
This took his record to 36 starts for nine wins, 15 placings and $182,293 in stakes, with the highlight of his career being his victory as a $99 outsider in the Group 1 Vicbred Super Series final for two-year-old colts and geldings at Melton on December 31, 2020, when he beat Idyllic by two lengths, rating 1.55.2 over 2240m
Kimble is by American stallion Western Terror and is the first foal out of the Bettors Delight mare Im Wrongly Accused, who won a heat of the 2016 Victoria Oaks at Melton before finishing fifth behind Piccadilly princess in the final.
“The four-0year-old classics, that’s what we bought him for, with the Golden Nugget in mind,” said Young. “He raced against the best in his age group in Victoria when he was known as one of the fastest beginners of his age. He will be peaking at the right time, hopefully, for the Golden Nugget when there will be some good horses who miss out.”