Kranich Ready to Roar in Evergreen Turf WRA Country Championships
Despite a few hurdles along the way, trainer Michael Mulholland is feeling optimistic about Kranich’s chances in the $150,000 Evergreen Turf WRA Country Championships at Dubbo today. The five-year-old gelding has shown consistent improvement with each of his three starts this preparation, and Mulholland is keen to see him perform well as he aims for a spot in the prestigious $1 million final.
Mulholland has a history with this series, having won the Central Districts Championships in 2021 with Old Harbour. However, that horse was unfortunately sidelined by injury and couldn’t contest the final. “He’s had a nice build-up,” Mulholland commented on Kranich’s preparation. “He’s had niggling issues, and you try to plan to go through and get everything perfect, but nothing’s perfect.”
He elaborated on Kranich’s recent form, noting that the horse hasn’t had a bad run. “He’s been in 82 Benchmark races, he ran a nice fourth first-up, then a nice third, and a nice second, so he’s built up to win.” Mulholland is confident in Kranich’s ability to handle the 1400-metre distance. “He’ll run the 1400m out strongly, he’ll sit back and hit the line strongly; that’s his best asset. A lot of the horses are only 1200m horses and not a lot of them have been really tested over 1400m.”
Dubbo Steps In to Host Championships
Dubbo secured a late call-up to host the Championships after track issues forced a relocation from Coonamble, which had been the regional host since 2020. For Mulholland, who trains at Dubbo, this is a significant advantage. “It’s naturally going to be a plus, and it probably gives Kranich a better chance to offset his barrier,” he stated.
The change in venue is particularly beneficial for Kranich. “It won’t be as hard. Coonamble would have been like concrete, and he doesn’t like hard ground,” Mulholland explained. He also believes the Dubbo track layout suits his horse. “It’s not a big turning track at Dubbo, and most times horses down the centre of the track hit the line strongly. Half of his wins, he’s come out of wide gates anyway.”
Mulholland’s race-day strategy for Kranich is clear: “He’ll need to relax and hopefully, he can get in about seventh and eighth and get a seat somewhere, and just be patient.”
While Kranich was unable to match the pace of Crusader Kings in the 1200-metre Preview held just over a week ago, Mulholland dismisses that run. He considers the 1200-metre trip to be a “voodoo distance” for Kranich and believes he will be far more competitive at the 1400-metre distance of the Championships race.
Jasper’s Way: A Promising Second String
Mulholland also has a second runner in the Championships race, Jasper’s Way. This lightly raced four-year-old represents a more speculative but still promising option for the trainer. “Jasper’s Way represents a second stringer for Mulholland in the Championships race, but he’s happy to have a throw at the stumps with the lightly raced four-year-old.”
The Evergreen Turf WRA Country Championships promise an exciting day of racing, with Kranich and Jasper’s Way looking to fly the flag for Michael Mulholland in his quest for a major prize. The shift to Dubbo has provided a more favourable environment for Kranich, and his trainer is confident that, with a patient ride, he can be a strong contender in the $150,000 feature event.
Full form and race replays are available at racingnsw.com.au.
