The “street corner tip” rarely lives up to its billing but the persistent story that unraced international sale griffin Spicy Kaka possessed better than average ability turned out to be the highlight of an otherwise forgettable Class Four on Saturday.
The Sha Tin meeting featured some races of dubious scope going forward but Spicy Kaka makes the black bookers list despite coming out of one of them, the race won by Easy Touch.
Take a bow Jockey Club buyer Mark Richards because the international sale griffin (ISG) horses are having a positive run at the present time, a 2015 offering Master Gold won well on the dirt on Saturday, although led of course by this year’s inclusions Pakistan Star and Jing Jing Win.
But there has always been talk that John Moore-trained Spicy Kaka would be a more than handy representative to come out of the 2016 edition as well.
That wasn’t immediately obvious from his three barrier trials, in which he had begun poorly each time, done quite a few other things wrong at times and not really flattered but he basically had not been put under real stress either.
So Saturday’s Sha Tin debut was the first time that Spicy Kaka was put under proper pressure and it seems that the street corner tip about his having good ability appears to be on the money.
The gelding was slow away again, jockey Sam Clipperton settled him towards the rear and got him balanced and then Spicy Kaka applied himself well in the final 200m to finish fourth, despite looking new and green in the run down to the line.
Clever Spirit, also back in the ruck, did finish the race off better than Spicy Kaka for second in a nice effort but he is already quite exposed after 14 starts.
On the other hand, there is undoubtedly improvement to come for Spicy Kaka as he works the game out with more experience and also as Moore gets him out over something just a little further than 1,200m.
A son of Excellent Art, who ran well in one of Good Baba’s Hong Kong Miles, Spicy Kaka shapes like 1400-1600m will be his distance range too as he matures.
