THE KEWESS – AS GAME AND HONEST AS EVER

By Graham Potter | Sunday, February 20, 2022

The Kewess, who returned to action following a three-and-a-half month layoff, raced twice in February.

First-up, he tackled a QTIS Three-Year-Old BM65 Handicap over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast on a soft 7 track on February 4, where he attracted fair support to start as a warm favourite at $3.50.

Both of his career successes have come on good going, so arguably the soft track rating, being first-up and the fact that he jumped from a wide gate all compromised his chances to a degree.

Jimmy Orman kept The Kewess in touch with the leaders … three wide and two lengths back … from the jump to the turn.

The chestnut son of Super One looked to be going well within himself shortly before straightening, but when Orman got to work on him early in the straight, while The Kewess did stay in contention for a short period, by midway down the home straight it became clear that this time he would only be chasing for a minor placing … which he did well to hold to after a tough trip.

He finished third, 3.50 lengths behind the Smart Buying Time, who was making it two wins from two starts here.
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When The Kewess went out for his second start for the month he was, in part, his own worst enemy … although, fair to say, it really was just not his night.

The race was a Colts, Geldings and Entires Class 2 Handicap over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast on February 18 where The Kewess’s pre-race antics certainly did him no favours.

Then he lost a plate going to the gates and, according to the official Steward’s Report … ‘raced greenly in the early stages and was then obliged to steady from heels between the 800 metres and the 600 metres.’

You wouldn’t have expected much of a result after all of that, but The Kewess is The Kewess. He just puts in every time … and that is what he did again here to claim second place.

The Kewess (a $3.20 second favourite) landed in midfield before being taken hold of by Jimmy Orman, going back for a couple of strides, before stretching out again and angling in to gain a rails run where he quickly made up ground again before running into a roadblock and having to be quite severely checked at the 650m mark … but, again, he was able to pick up in the final sweep to the turn.

That left The Kewess cornering in fourth place, still saving ground. The run was there along the inside in the straight and The Kewess gave his all in trying to make the most of that clear run to the line but, Menazzi, racing down the centre of the track was going too well for his rivals and Menazzi went on to beat The Kewess home by 2.30 lengths.

That charge for second place emphasised The Kewess’s competitive spirit as he kept sticking his head out to win the battle behind the winner where less than half-a-length separated the next four horses across the line.

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