The Shawn Grimsey trained and Nathan Dawson driven Xavier's Hurrikane won the 1660m mobile by 5.3 metres with a swift 1:56.1 mile rate. Equal $2 favourite, the Vic Frost trained Frost En Ice (Kylie Rasmussen) was second.
Although Grimsey admitted the time was good, he believed Xavier's Hurrikane’s real gauge wouldn’t be known until after the brown gelding competed in the $50,000 Sapling 2yo Stakes at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Miracle Mile night - Saturday March 2.
"That was a nice win but we will wait and see how he goes against the Art Majors and Bettors Delights in Sydney. The Hurrikane Kingcoles seem to be kind animals and this fella has a bit of talent, but how much, only time and development will tell. I think he’s definitely worthy of a trip south. I will know a lot more after March 2,” Grimsey said.
He said he had two Hurrikane Kingcoles at his Tamborine Mountain stable.
“They broke in okay and this fella is much more forward in his preparation than his sister. He’s also more talented. She (Madetoplay) took three goes to qualify,” Grimsey said.
The Gold Coast horseman said he had campaigned horses with moderate success in New South Wales previously.
He said both he and owner/breeder, Mike Adamson, also of Tamborine Mountain, believed Xavier's Hurrikane was good enough to take on the best early-season 2-year-olds.
“It’s only early days yet but he’s done all he can do and at this minute I couldn’t be happier. He’s out of a Mach Three New Zealand mare (Dougie's Envy), so hopefully that side of the breeding will kick on too,” 46-year-old Grimsey said.
“I've got seven in work and he’s by far the best of them. The horse that ran second behind him (Frost En Ice) also went well, so the stallion might have a bright future,” he added.
Hurrikane Kingcole sired his first Australian winner at Geelong on January 16 when the Damien Burns trained and Michael Belman driven Youaremy Sunshine got the chocolates by two-and-a-half metres.
Hurrikane Kingcole has now sired 136 live foals in Australia and has had six starters to the races. As a racehorse he won 14 of his 49 starts and placed in 10 others for $580,102 in stakes.
In 2012 the talented bay paced a 1:48.1 mile at Mohegan Sun Pocono to equal the then-world record for a 3-year-old on a five-eighths-mile track
Then the slick pacer, who was bought for $10,000 at the yearling sales, went on to set a lifetime mark of 1:47.3.
Hurrikane Kingcole suffered from a myriad of health issues during his career, including throat problems and a broken splint bone in his left front leg.
The latter ensured his premature retirement in March 2015.