Trainer Brett Crawford and prominent owner-breeders Ridgemont Highlands enjoyed a one-two finish when their charges Kitty Cat Chat and Capitana were the first two home in Saturday’s G2 WSB Live Casino Southern Cross Stakes (1000m) at Kenilworth.
An impressive winner of her first three starts, the Ridgemont Highlands, Australian bred Kitty Cat Chat was making her second start since a lengthy layoff in Saturday’s sprint.
The daughter of Press Statement got away to a flyer, with her inform jockey Louis Mxothwa electing to take Kitty Cat Chat to the front.
Mxothwa kept his mount going well in front, and the pair stayed on gamely to hold the challenge of stablemate, and fellow Ridgemont Highlands owned runner, Capitana (Captain Al), and win by a neck.
Fast finishing Capitana, winner of the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes last time out, ran another game race back in second, with the Captain Al mare finishing another a neck clear of promising three-year-old Santa Maria.
Now a winner of four of just five starts, Kitty Cat Chat claimed her biggest win to date in a time of 58.73 seconds.
The Press Statement sired four-year-old is a half-sister to the very promising Whoa Whoa Whoa – a winner of her first two starts.
Kitty Cat Chat and Whoa Whoa Whoa were produced by the Fast ‘N’ Famous mare Whats New Pussycat, a half-sister to the stakes winning Seaway.
Interesting to note that in last year’s running of the G2 Southern Cross Stakes, the Ridgemont Highlands raced Run Fox Run (Foxwedge) finished a gallant second before capturing the G1 Cape Flying Championship at her next start.
Images: Chase Liebenberg
