Kalapour Caps Great Week with Gr.1 Win

The Kris Lees-trained Kalapour (War Commands) capped a great week for Elsdon Park with a Gr.1 win in the KIA Tancred Stakes at Rosehill today.

The seven-year-old entered the 2400m feature as a dual Gr.3 winner and when asked for the effort by jockey Dylan Gibbons, swiftly carried Elsdon Park’s colours to Gr.1 glory, with his nearest rival crossing a head margin back in second.

Kalapour was bred by His Highness The Aga Khan’s Studs and is co-owned by Elsdon Park’s Lib Petagna along with Gurners Bloodstock Co (Syndicate), Joe Singh, William Guest, Michael Clemenger, Tim Watson, David Redgrove, Susan Redgrove, Todd Johns, Ian Clifton, Peter Filipovic, Janne Guest, Jill Cross, Narelle Malone, Sue Grayson, MJM Racing (Syndicate Manager Ralph Huddy) and Tah Boys (Syndicate Manager Anthony).

The Gr.1 winner was initially purchased by his now trainer Kris Lees and Justin Bahen after four starts in the UK. Since his Australian arrival, his 19 starts have netted five wins and seven placings.

The win follows a week where Elsdon Park not only registered its first winner bred in the shape of the Bjorn Baker-trained graduate Hezdarnhottoo, but also loaded for export to Sydney its very first draft for the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

This debut draft comprises of an I Am Invincible filly out of the triple Gr.1 winning racemare Lucia Valentina, a full brother to the Australian stakes winner Lost And Running and an impressive Ardrossan colt from the black-type family of Sarancino.