When Kusanova scored at Ashburton on 25th April, the result was just reward for the six-year-old mare’s efforts of late and form that had largely gone unnoticed.
Securing an early lead and dictating terms throughout to defeat Ruby’s A Delight, Cheezel and company, Kusanova’s $32.00 dividend ran counter to what recent honest performances suggested. “Her latest runs have been really good,” said trainer Trent Yesberg after the race. “She’s gone the last 800 in 56 seconds or better in her most recent two races and also at a trial.”
So it was a big surprise to the stable when she started the outsider of the eight-horse field, and in letting her use the lead as they did, the competition certainly underrated her.
“If you’d asked me 12 months ago if she’d be this well right now, I’d have said not likely”, said Trent. She came back in much better this time.”
An honest horse that likes her race appearances spaced out, Kusanova has had five seconds to go with her now three wins. She’s also had a lot of 4ths and 5ths – 13 in fact in her 33-start career to date. “Her stats should read a lot better than they do, it’s just the type of horse she is – unlucky as often as not.”
Kusanova is one of the Ripple Creek favourites. Nova as she’s known has been with the stable for all but her first two starts. ‘She’s a pleasure to train and a good horse to have around. She aways tries her hardest, as long as we don’t give her too big a workload”.
A winning mile rate of 1.55.2 bodes well for a broodmare career if that’s in the future for Kusanova. Right now however she’s in the form of her life and the stars are aligned to suggest there’s more racetrack success in store for this well-liked mare.
