Litigate Rounds Out Week To Remember For Kinnear

SYDNEY-based Tom Kinnear and his family are pinching themselves after a week to remember culminating in Litigate's Vince Curry heat romp.

SYDNEY-based Tom Kinnear and his family are pinching themselves after a week to remember.

It started on Thursday night when star sprinter Orchestrate (Barcia Bale-Speculate) led throughout to win the Australia Day Trophy at Albion Park and he will now go on to the Group 1 Gold Bullion series starting this week.

On Saturday night, the Jason Thompson-trained Decimate (Aston Dee Bee-Speculate) brilliantly won a graded race at The Meadows in 30.07 after riding out plenty of early-race trouble.

But, Saturday night also saw Litigate, a litter brother to Decimate, sensationally win his heat of the Group 3 Vince Curry Maiden (520m) at Ipswich in a scorching 30.32 by 15 and a quarter lengths for Tony Brett.

And, to top off all this, Kinnear has just found out dam Speculate is in pup to champion sire Fernando Bale.

“How could you not be happy with Litigate's performance,” said Tom. “He had trialled 30.62 a week before the heats and reeled off a 5.29 first section.

“Come Saturday night, we were expecting him to maybe improve by a tenth, but to run 30.32 was a huge bonus.

“He went 5.31 early, broke 13 mid section and then ran home in 12.04.”

It was Litigate's fourth race start. He had been third to Tungsten Miss in the Dave Brett Memorial Maiden final late in November and then went to Lismore for the rich Christmas Maiden series and was third in his heat over 420m.

“No, we didn't expect a 30.32,” said Tom. “Tony and I were obviously really happy with that performance.”

Litigate heads to next week's Vince Curry semi-finals and Tom is hoping he can draw wider at the start. “Like most of his brothers, he likes to scout a little off the rail in his races.”

Orchestrate will now go into the Gold Bullion as one of the hot chances.

Decimate has now won eight races and $31,000 and won in 29.33 at Sandown.

“We are very happy Speculate appears in pup to Fernando Bale,” said Tom.

“Most of them will be for sale.”

Other heats of the Vince Curry went to:

She's Sweet (Zambora Brockie-Larsie Lou) for Jedda Cutlack in 30.47

Shipwreck (Out Of Range-Aussie Diamond) for Ned Snow in 30.71

Silver Sticks (Zinzan Brooke-Kyella) for Cliff Houston in 30.99

Tiki Bar (Fernando Bale-Matriculate) for Dyllan Heddles in 31.30

Black Comanche (Zambora Brockie-Tahlia's Way) for Greg Stella in 30.54

Stella's boom youngster, the Peter Hare-owned Black Comanche, was slow away as the $1.40 favourite but soon stormed to the front and won by seven lengths on a track affected by late rain.

It has been common knowledge among track regulars the dog has been trialling sensationally in the lead-up to the Vince Curry series.

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