A Close Finish at Brafield-on-the-Green Point to Point

A close finish saw Kazuri Kate beat She’s Real in the latest Thororoughbred Breeders’ Association Club Members’ race for fillies and mares, which took place at Brafield-on-the-Green in Northamptonshire on Sunday.

Ridden by Claire Hart, seven-year-old Kazuri Kate got up near the line to win by half a length, after her rival, the mount of Tom Chatfeild-Roberts, had taken up the running between the last two fences. Pampelonne was third of the nine runners, while favourite Popaway could do no better than fourth. Trainer Pauline Harkin said of Popaway: “She didn’t jump well, which isn’t like her, and wasn’t right after the race, so we will be taking a blood from her – it’s frustrating, because she does everything so easily at home and we had no idea she was sickening for something.”

For Kazuri Kate’s team it was an occasion to celebrate. Simon Hart, Claire’s uncle, and joint-owner with Robert and Janet Bartlett, said: “We bought her for £1,000 as a yearling after Claire spotted her in an advert in Horse & Hound magazine – she was a half-sister to Kiama, a very good point-to-point mare who was ridden by .”

Kazuri Kate is a daughter of Exit To Nowhere and the eighth foal of Bustino mare Catriona, who won over seven furlongs. Her stock have shown ability at a variety of trips, for in addition to Kiama she produced five-furlong winner Cheney Hill, two-mile hurdler Soleil d´Hiver and the point-to-point winners Lord Brownlow and Kazuri Kate.

#The next race in the TBA’s series of point-to-points for fillies and mares takes place at Mollington in Oxfordshire on April 11 – Keep an eye out here for a preview of the race nearer the time.