Kaniana earns Group One start with MV win

Ivan Cajkusic and Valda Klaric’s breeding philosophy is to sell the colts and keep the fillies and they have been rewarded with two mares now heading to the Group One Myer Classic.

The Darren Weir-trained Kaniana staked her claim for the fillies and mares’s feature at Flemington with her Group Three win over 1600m at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

She will be joined by the the Chris Waller-trained Group Two winner French Emotion in a week’s time at Flemington.

Her owners are understandably thrilled and have no regrets about selling what turned out to be the best horse from their operation, Group One-winning stayer Littorio.

“We keep the fillies and sell the colts and it’s wonderful to have this mare in the Myer.,” Klaric said.

Kaniana ($17) finished strongly wide on the track to beat Rocket Commander ($9) by three-quarters of a length with Alaskan Rose ($9.50 the same margin third.

Favourite Lady Le Fay ($2.40) stuck to the inside of the soft track and weakened to sixth with her jockey Hugh Bowman fined $400 for not riding her out in the final 20m of the race.

But the honours were with the winner and Weir said she deserved her chance at at the highest level.

“She loves Moonee Valley but we’ll chuck her in the Group One at Flemington,” he said.

“I thought she had a really good chance today. I’m not saying I thought she would win but I thought she would go well.

“She went forward at her last start at Caulfield and that didn’t work out but it toughened her up.”