Kilgravin Lodge Graduate Divissima Races into Karaka Million Contention

A serious contender for the $1m Karaka Million was revealed this week with Kilgravin Lodge graduate  Divissima (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) an impressive winner in the $10,000 Kevin Gould Electrical Maiden 2YO over 1150m at Waikato Racing Club’s meeting held at Paeroa.

The race received a prizemoney increase earlier in the week when the connections ofSilversmith (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) injected a further $3,000 into the $7,000 race taking the total prizemoney on offer for the race to $10,000.

Divissima – who is Karaka Million eligible – received the lion’s share of the $10,000 stake, earning $6,250 and elevating the first starter to 16 on the Order of Entry for the Karaka Million, with the top 14 horses set to make the field on 26 January.

The Mike Moroney & Chad Ormsby trained runner was on debut and was a resounding trial winner at Cambridge in December.

The filly by Mastercraftsman drew the outside barrier in the 11-horse field but was able to get across to sit outside the leader, the heavily backed race-favourite Thrill (NZ) (Flying Spur).

Divissima went to the lead at the top of the straight effortlessly and drew away from the field. The filly raced greenly but finished three lengths in front of Thrill at the line with a further three lengths back to Douro (Flying Spur) in third. Silversmith ran on from the rear of the field to finish seventh.

“The Karaka Million has always been in the back of our minds,” commented Chard Ormsby. “Obviously we would like to make the field, she is obviously up to it, but we are not too stressed if she doesn’t make the field.

“She beat a good field today, the horse of Ken Kelso’s – Thrill – is held in high regard so it was a good effort to win.

“We haven’t been able to teach her as much as we like because of her manners but the more we teach her the better and faster she gets. She will no doubt take a lot of improvement out of the race today.”

Divissima is now 16 on the Order of Entry with Douro moving up to 27 on the list with $2,550 earned from his three starts and Thrill recorded her first prizemoney, $2,000, placing her 31 on the list. Fourth placegetter Stylish Attack (NZ) (Tavistock) earned a further $500 adding to the $350 earned from her first start, placing her 39 on the Order of Entry.

Mastercraftsman leads the Order of Entry with his son Jackofall sitting at the top of the table with $47,775 in prizemoney.