By Alex Nolan
Kismet Storm is trialling like a bomb around the circle and could be racing for greater riches at Albion Park and Ipswich but while he’s happy at Capalaba, that’s exactly where he’ll stay.
The new sensation at Queensland’s only straight track will look to extend his unbeaten sequence to seven when he faces his toughest test in the Best 8, which comes up as race seven on Sunday.
There he meets recent Group 1 competitor Impact, who too boasts an imposing record at Capalaba, plus the likes of Ferocity, Magical Len and Crazy Brax, among others.
The Bianca Whitford-trained son of Barcia Bale has quickly risen through his grades at Capalaba and it was initially thought he would be set for races in town and Ipswich.
But after consulting owner Melissa Mayle, Whitford said the decision was simple.
“There really isn’t any upside taking the dog back to the circle other than making money,” Whitford said.
“We’ve given him trials and slips around Ipswich and he has gone sensational, so that threw up another option.
“However, Melissa and I both agreed ‘Khaos’ is our number one priority and he loves Capalaba, so why would we want to change that.
“We intend to race him sparingly at Capalaba and give him the odd trial around the circle … we can keep him nice and fresh and aim for bigger races at Capalaba later in the year.”
The decision comes at an important time for the sport in Queensland, as the public consultation process regarding a new state-of-the-art track proposed for Purga comes to a close.
Public submissions were due by close of business on Friday, with many in the industry keen to have their say.
“We all put in submissions here,” Whitford said.
“It’s all for the welfare of the dog.
"It also comes with plenty of employment opportunities but first and foremost, it’s about safer racing facilities.”