In an extraordinary display of resilience, Chains Of Love, despite facing a wide barrier draw and racing without cover for the entire journey, managed to run down Band Of Brothers in a thrilling finish.
This impressive victory marks the second consecutive Kosciuszko win for trainers Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich, following their success with Clear Thinking last year.
Messara was in awe of Chains Of Love’s performance, noting the significant amount of extra ground she covered and her ability to still find the stamina to catch Band Of Brothers in a dramatic conclusion.
“I thought she was going to run last- I don’t know how she won,” Messara said.
“It was a great win. We were five deep from the start and honestly I thought we had no hope.
“It was an amazing effort by our horse.”
Chains Of Love, a $5 chance, bred and owned by Arrowfield Stud’s John Messara and ridden by Zac Lloyd, finished with remarkable determination to get the better of Band Of Brothers ($9) by a head, with the $4.80 favourite So You Pence a length behind in third.
Lloyd explained that he had no alternative but to race wide, focusing on keeping Chains Of Love in a comfortable rhythm.
“Obviously you don’t want to be four and five wide but they weren’t going quick,” Lloyd commented.
“She is very big and I’d much rather be there than in on the fence. I was just focusing on her.
“It was a bit like a trackwork gallop because I was just trying to keep her in a rhythm.
“I just trusted that she will pick up and go through her gears. She’s a big horse and needs a bit of space to wind up but she is very tenacious.
“Full credit to Paul and Leah. To get this horse here first-up and with a tough run to be as gritty as she was the last 50m. All credit to them – I didn’t do much. It helps being on fast horses.”
Possessing a superb pedigree, being by I Am Invincible out of Group 1 Thousand Guineas winner Stay With Me, herself a daughter of the champion mare Miss Finland, Chains Of Love’s Kosciuszko win sends her value as a potential broodmare soaring.
“We set her up for this race a long time ago and it is nice when a plan comes off,” Messara stated.
“She is a trouble-free mare, straight forward to train, but we have been patient with her, she is lightly raced with a lot of upside.
“We thought if we could set her for this race, she could run well. It’s amazing with the run she had that she was able to win.”
The racing betting markets will be keenly watching Chains Of Love’s next outing.
