By Josh Smith – Harness News Desk
Regally-bred mare Team Kiwi has made the most of her delayed departure to the United States.
The daughter of multiple Group One winner Kiwi Ingenuity was set to travel to America earlier this year, however, the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to those plans.
She has remained in the care of trainer Steve Dolan and repaid her overstay with an eye-catching victory at Addington on Sunday.
Team Kiwi did a power of work in the 1980m event with driver Laura McKay pushing her forward from her wide draw to sit parked from the 1000m.
McKay continued to apply pressure on leader Ohoka Matty, which told on her rivals in the straight where she was able to amble away to a three-length victory over Tiebreaker.
Dolan was pleased with the win and said they were able to use more aggressive tactics on Sunday compared to her first-up unplaced run at Addington the week prior.
“Robbie (Holmes, driver) got off her last week and said that’s not the way to drive her. He said you have really got to drive her aggressively and put her in the race,” Dolan said.
“Because the pace was so hot last week he couldn’t pop out of the trail and go around, so that is why she got driven like that today. That just suits her.
“If you look at the way her mother, Kiwi Ingenuity, won the Jewels all those years ago, it is exactly the same type of framework as far as how to drive her.
“The fact that Laura was able to get her up handy and put a bit of pressure on was ideal.
“Next week we might line her up again and she is probably destined to be driven a similar way.”
Still destined to head to America, Dolan quipped that he wouldn’t mind her staying in his care for a little longer.
“She has been in limbo, she is supposed to be going to America,” he said.
“She was sold by Justin Le Lievre as agent. He mentioned that she was for sale one day. Hamish Scott had a lot of horses, so he was looking to offload a few.
“We jumped at the opportunity to get her. It was always the intention to send her to the States.
“My place has been a transit lounge for horses to go to America, but of course she got stuck here for a little bit longer than we expected because of COVID-19.
“I am quite keen to keep her for a few more runs.”
Team Kiwi has now had four starts for Dolan and he said he owes much of her success to former trainer Robbie Holmes and McKay.
“She is a complex little horse, so I had to lean on Robbie Holmes a wee bit,” Dolan said.
“He has been a big help and has been influential in helping to get a few issues sorted out.
“Laura McKay has been doing most of the work with her, so she deserves a bit of a pat on the back as well.”
Meanwhile, Dolan has been pleased with his season tally to date of eight wins and two placings from just 22 starts.
“We are in a privileged position where we don’t have to train a lot of horses, so we can afford to raise the bar a little bit and have better quality horses,” he said.
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