Kimberley Rose stretched out to 2200m for the first time in a 16-start career on Saturday and she appreciated the extra distance to run right through the line in the VT Plumbing Group Hcp at Ascot.
Brad Parnham settled her in the back-half of the field in the running line behind pacemaker Planet Cash before hooking three and four-wide into the straight to score by over a length from Late Arrival (Pierro) and the favourite Audio Boy (Sessions).
Kimberley Rose is by sprint stallion Hellbent (I Am Invincible) who has yet to sire a winner past 2200m in his first five crops at Yarraman Park, however, there’s staying blood further back on the bottom-half of her pedigree through the successful ‘Amber’ family that was nurtured by John Nicolay when he was a Perth Racing committeeman.
“We’ve always known she had ability but she took time and has come a long way since we sent her on a learning curve to Esperance and Kalgoorlie ,” trainer S J Miller said. “She ran second in the (LR) Belmont Oaks (2020m) last prep and today is a big plus for the owners.”
Kimberley Rose has a feature race campaign in sight with Miller targeting the LR Bunbury Cup (2000m) on Saturday, March 7 and LR Pinjarra Cup (2300m) on Sunday, March 22. They are both carry $150,000 in prizemoney.
She’s a homebred for industry partners Keith Biggs and Rod Russell with Yarraman Park’s Arthur and Harry Mitchell and races in the familiar Royal Blue & Pink Hoops silks for a syndicate that includes Miller, Arthur Barrett, Bob Wilson, Bruce Greenwood and Trevor Sanders.
Her dam Ambers Waltz was a bridesmaid in the same colours running seconds in the 2010 Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast, G2 Silver Slipper Stakes at Rosehill and G3 Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick. Second-dam Amber’s Halo (Don’t Say Halo) won three black-type races in Perth topped by the G3 Hyperion Stakes at Belmont.
Third-dam Amber’s Jinx (Serheed) won four races up to 2200m and her full-brother Sugarstone was a Listed winner of the WA St Leger (2600m), Premier’s Cup (2200m) and Kalgoorlie Gold Cup (2300m). Her half-brother Amber’s Double (Elland Road) also won a WA St Leger plus a G2 C B Cox Stakes and another half-brother Strictly Amber (Elland Road) added a Premier’s Cup.
