Kenedna claims stakes win in The Vanity

A significant gear change has helped deliver an important stakes win for talented filly Kenedna in The Vanity at Flemington.

Premier Victorian trainer Darren Weir decided the time was right to put blinkers on Kenedna in Saturday’s Group Three race for fillies and the gear did the trick with the three-year-old racing to a 1-1/4 lengths win.

At her previous start at Caulfield over 1400m on January 26, Kenedna appeared to be struggling coming to the home turn but picked up in the straight and charged to the line for third.

“She has been crying out for the blinkers but there’s a time to put them on and we thought she was fit enough to be able to take a little bit more of a forward position and hopefully they did the trick,” Weir said.

“And obviously they were the key to her winning the race today.”

Weir said he liked to put blinkers on horses once they were rock-hard fit.

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“Probably at around the 600 metre mark last start you wish you had them on then because she was dropping out of the race but then got going again late,” Weir said.

“They often can run really well with them first time and I think there’s a time to put them on.

“And obviously today was the right time.”

Kenedna ($11) settled worse than midfield for Damian Lane and set out after the leaders in the home straight.

She sprinted up to leader Extra Olives ($4.80) inside the final 200m and went on to defeat her by 1-1/4 lengths.

VRC Oaks placegetter Harkow Gold ($4.20) was another three-quarters of a length third in an encouraging return.

Weir believes Kenedna will get over further and said the Group One Australasian Oaks over 2000m in Adelaide later this season could be a target.