By David Nagel
Champion jockey Damien Oliver has banked his fourth Pakenham Cup after piloting Kissinger to a runaway victory in the $300,000 Listed feature (2500m) at Tynong on Saturday.
Oliver, with previous wins aboard Seductive Belle (1996), Ultra Smug (2000) and Our Voodoo Prince (2015), followed a patient gameplan before exploding down the vast expanse of the Pakenham straight to record a two-length victory.
The Lindsey Smith-trained seven-year-old gelding defeated Matt Cumani’s Nobel Heights, with Vegas Knight a neck away in third.
Oliver has built a strong association with Kissinger, riding the son of Tavistock/Berlin Belle to wins in three of his last four starts.
“He’s just gone from strength to strength,” Oliver said post-race.
“I noticed him early in this preparation when l was riding against him and I thought he’s a horse I’d like to get on and managed to get on him.
“We’ve just really clicked – sometimes you just really click with horses and we have, he’s a lovely stayer, got a beautiful attitude and he certainly makes your job a bit easier.”
Oliver said Kissinger eased into the race at the right time after having a beautiful run off the pace.
“I had Milford in front of us and Sound on the outside so I was following a couple of nice horses and he just chimed in at the right time,” he said.
“He’s just progressed really well this horse, he’s a whisker off being four straight which would have been quite a record so he’s a really nice progressive stayer.”
Talk from the Lindsey Smith camp is that Kissinger may be now set for the $200,000 Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on New Year’s Day.
“He’s had a pretty long preparation but I’ll leave that up to Lindsey,” Oliver said.
“He knows his horses well but he might be starting to feel the firmer tracks, he’s done a good job to here…he’s earned a good break if that’s the way they’re thinking”
Caitlin McLarn, a representative from the Smith team, suggested a decision on Kissinger’s immediate future would be decided this week.
“The Bagot (Handicap) has been thrown around but he’s won that quite convincingly but I’d say if he pulls up well then Lindsey might head that way,” McLarn said, before praising Oliver for his ride.
“Ollie and this horse are such a good combination; he just works him out perfectly.
“I was pretty confident to be honest, he didn’t want to expose him too early and he gave him a perfect ride and he was just super good to the line.
“He’s been so consistent, he’s been up for nearly a whole year now, he’s just done a great job, he just keeps bouncing back after each run and he’s thriving off his racing.”
