Kementari comeback continues in Brisbane at G3 BRC Sprint

The revival of the racing career of classic-winning colt Kementari takes what is perhaps its most important turn at Doomben on Saturday when he undertakes a G1 Stradbroke Handicap examination in the G3 BRC Sprint.

Kementari (Ryan Maloney) returned to training early this year and has run two slashing races finishing third both times, firstly behind Vegadaze in the G3 Star Kingdom Stakes and then surging to the line behind Greyworm in the G3 Hall Mark Stakes.

In both races he had a Godolphin stablemate between him and the winner, the G1-winner Trekking occupying the position last time out.

For trainer James Cummings, the comeback performances of a horse who as a three-year-old won the G1 Randwick Guineas and was beaten a nose in the G1 Caulfield Guineas have been especially satisfying.

“When it became clear that he wasn’t a stallion proposition, I was asked if I wanted him back,” Cummings said.

“I didn’t hesitate." I said "you bet I do".

“He’s shown great enthusiasm and desire - I didn’t expect anything less from him.”

Kementari ended his first racing career in March, 2019 as the winner of four races, three of them in succession, and has given every indication during his return campaign that his interest in racing is undiminished.

“We’ve been able to measure his progress against his stablemates and with what he’s been doing in his training and all the messages are that he is keeping the ship on course,” Cummings said.

Kementari stands out among Godolphin’s Stakes contenders on a weekend in which restrictions have limited programs around Australia and resulted in the meeting scheduled for Gosford to be transferred to Randwick.

In the Listed Gosford Gold Cup, Cummings relies on the imports Best Of Days and Wren’s Day, while Deprive runs in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes.

Best Of Days (Josh Parr) has raced three times this preparation, indicating he was near his peak with a solid fourth to Life Less Ordinary in the G3 JRA Plate over Saturday’s course and distance.

“After drawing wide in the Doncaster second-up he bounced back well last start and he’s in a similar race here with some added fitness,” Cummings said.

Best Of Days had previously finished second in the G1 Railway Stakes at Ascot having raced well in Melbourne at his previous starts, including a luckless fifth in the G1 Cantala Stakes at Flemington, a race he won in 2018.

Best Of Days was the winner of the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes for trainer Hugo Palmer in England and has won several races since shipping to Australia.

Meanwhile, Papineau, a striking chestnut by the outstanding Darley stallion Singspiel, has proved a Champion both on and off the track.

He is a half-brother to Derby runner-up Silver Patriarch and was bred by the late Peter Winfield and bought at the Tattersalls December Sale for just under £90,000 in 2000.

As is traditional with the majority of Godolphin’s European youngstock, Papineau travelled to Ireland where he was raised at Blackhall Stud in Co Kildare.

Always well regarded, Papineau entered training with André Fabre and made a promising debut in April 2003 at Saint-Cloud. There he and Touch Of Land drew well clear of the field before Papineau was beaten just a short head by the future six-time Group.

Next time out, however, he was not to be headed, never mind beaten, as he dominated over 12 furlongs, again at Saint-Cloud, to break his maiden later the same month.

Papineau swiftly and successfully stepped up a level, winning the Listed Prix de l’Avre at Longchamp in the middle of May.

This earned him a tilt at the G1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) where he finished fifth, despite clearly not enjoying the firm conditions – in fact, post race, a hairline fracture was discovered.