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Kemp on song for Listed features at Doomben

6 December 2018

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By Glenn Davis

Trainer Kevin Kemp hopes to add more silverware to his trophy cabinet when he chases further Stakes success at Doomben on Saturday.

Kemp has never won a Group race but has claimed a host of Listed races including a record equaling four Listed Weetwood Handicaps on his home track in Toowoomba.

Kemp has two chances to add to his haul of Stakes wins with Sold For Song in the Listed Brisbane Handicap and Plumaro in the Listed Just Now Quality (1350m).

Sold For Song hasn’t won for over two years and has been kept to shorter races in that time.

In her only starts over 1600 metres, Sold For Song ran third in both the Group 3 Sunshine Coast Guineas at Caloundra and Group 2 Queensland Guineas at Eagle Farm in 2016.

She showed at her latest appearance a win wasn’t far away when she rattled home for third to Niccanova in the Listed Recognition Stakes (1350m) at Doomben a fortnight ago.

“It’s been a long time since she’s been over a mile but she gets her chance on Saturday,” Kemp said.

“She’s been held back to shorter races here and in the south only because the programming for her was suitable at the time.”

Kemp has earmarked the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1600m) at Doomben on December 29 as her next target during the TAB Summer Carnival.

“If she races well and gets the mile, she’ll go on to the Bernborough Handicap in three weeks and, if not, she’ll run in the (Group 3) Vo Rogue Plate the same day,” he said.

The Vo Rogue Plate is a leg of the Summer Crown series this summer.

Kemp sees a lot of Sold For Song in stablemate Plumaro, who was a last start winner over 1350 metres at Doomben last month.

“Plumaro and Sold For Song are very similar in that they get back in their races and need a bit of luck in the run,” he said.

“I was going to run Plumaro in the (Listed) Mode Stakes last week but 1200 metres around Doomben wouldn’t have suited her.

“She’s a lot better chance over 1350 metres and she’ll need to win this race to get into the Magic Millions Guineas.”

Plumaro has won more than $262,000 in prizemoney from her three wins and two placings but more than $96,000 is bonus prizemoney which doesn’t count towards Magic Millions qualification.

Racing Queensland webnews   December 6