Kia Kaha set for Young Guns decider

By Mike Hill

Warren Nicholls gives his fearless sprinter Kia Kaha 'a real good chance' in the $45,000 Brisbane Young Guns Final at Albion Park on Thursday night.

The Churchable-based trainer said the black chaser was 'suited' drawn in box six and suggested she would strip a lot fitter.

Kia Kaha was having her first run in almost a month when a solid runner-up to Golden Bear, beaten one-and-a-quarter lengths, in one of last week's four heats.

"She needed the run and I wasn't disappointed with the performance," Nicholls said.

"She got out good and she'll be a fair bit stronger this week."

Kia Kaha hadn't raced since finishing third in a drama-packed semi-final of the rich Golden Chase at Ipswich in early April after collecting the sprint edition of the series over 431 metres two weeks earlier.

"We had to work on her for a couple of weeks," Nicholls said.

"But, she's back on track and I'm happy with her going into the Final. She's extremely competitive and I think she's a real good chance."

Nicholls said he wasn't overly concerned that the daughter of Zipping Garth and Daniel's Loss hadn't yet broken 30 seconds at Albion Park, not even in a trial.

"But, she's not a trial dog," he said.

"She shows her best under race conditions. She as tough as anything."

The trainer said Kia Kaha had clocked 30.37 seconds in winning at Ipswich in late March.

"That equates to a 29.85 second run at Albion Park," he said.

"And, I expect her to break 30 seconds there in the near future. It could come this week or next."

Nicholls knows Kia Kaha has to produce one of her explosive starts to be in the mix.

She has the fastest first split (5.41 seconds) of any runner in the Final and she showed her early zip with a flying 5.46 second first sectional last week.

"I think she can get across and lead," Nicholls said.

"And, if she can, then they have to chase her and things can happen behind. But, it's not going to be easy."

Nicholls believes Sandra Hunt's outstanding sprinter Kahlo Hayze, the Tom Tzouvelis-trained Saanvi, Golden Bear (trained by Adam McIntosh) and visitor and fastest heat-winner Warm Cockles look the main dangers in the $30,000-to-the-winner Final.

"Sandra's dog is an unbelievable sprinter, a very good chaser," he said.

Kahlo Hayze has hit a super vein of form with 10 wins and a second from her past 11 starts, including victory in the Winged Runner Trophy Final at Albion Park two runs back in a slick best of the night time of 29.74 seconds.

Saanvi is coming off a courageous win in the Capalaba Young Guns Final on Sunday after claiming the rich Group 3 Golden Chase at Ipswich in the middle of April.

Golden Bear, a heat winner last week, was victorious in the Eric Thomson Memorial at Albion Park late last month in a smart best of the night time of 29.85 seconds.

He also chased Saanvi home at Capalaba at the weekend.

Victorian visitor Warm Cockles is certain to have plenty of support despite drawing the outside box.

The David Burnett-owned and trained sprinter has only raced nine times but his heat victory last week in 29.86 seconds indicated he has enormous potential.

The black sprinter (from a Fernando Bale and Ma's Plum Jam litter) was making his Albion Park debut and his all-the-way win couldn't have been more impressive.