Surprise Baby’s younger half-sister, Kurabai, is set to debut on Thursday evening at Pakenham in a Fillies & Mares Maiden over 1400m.
The four-year-old mare is racing for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr team, with Kent Jnr aiming to run in the top three as the galloper is still green and may do some things wrong.
“She’s a nice filly, a nice filly. Whether she wins tonight (I’m not sure), but she’s going to go through the grades,” Kent Jnr said.
“She’s not in a strong race tonight. She is on debut and is going to do things wrong, but she’s got talent.
“A top-three finish (would be ideal). It’s not a strong race, she’s drawn a good barrier, well educated and goes well.
“But she’s one that will get better through this prep and next prep.”
Her well-known older half-brother started favourite in the 2020 Melbourne Cup, and his ability was one of the reasons that Price and Kent Jnr purchased Kurubai.
“She’s a really nice, athletic filly,” Kent Jnr said.
“We bought he based on Surprise Baby. We had no evidence that she could gallop, we were only going off the recommendation that the trainer said she was a nice mover, so we took it on trust.
“She has a lovely way about her. She’s been very slow to mature. But we didn’t buy her until she was three, so it hasn’t been too long to wait for the new owners.
“Her value with Surprise Baby, it would be nice to see him win a Group 1 because he has the potential to in the future. But she can gallop herself.
“She has a decent residual value, somewhere near the purchase price. So anything on the track is a bonus.”
Kurubai is currently a $2.50 chance at Pakenham on Thursday evening.
| Horse | Win | Place | ||
| 1 | Crooked Hillary (3)J: Brian Higgins 58kg T: Chris Diplock | $101.00 | $17.00 | Bet Now |
| 2 | Kurabui (5)J: Michael Dee 58kg T: M Price & M Kent Jnr | $2.50 | $1.25 | Bet Now |
| 3 | Miss Tuneful (6)J: Brian Park 58kg T: T Kilgower | $81.00 | $11.00 | Bet Now |
| 4 | Pouvoir De Soie (9)J: Joe Bowditch 58kg T: Lloyd Kennewell | $2.50 | $1.25 | Bet Now |
| 5 | Realism (11)J: Ben Allen 58kg T: E Jusufovic | $6.50 | $1.85 | Bet Now |
| 6 | Russian Rhapsody (7)J: Ms Chelsea Hall 58kg T: Russell W J Clarke | $126.00 | $19.00 | Bet Now |
| 7 | Smart Stride (2)J: Ms Jade Darose 58kg T: Mark C Webb | $41.00 | $6.00 | Bet Now |
| 8 | Fan Club (10)J: Luke Nolen 56.5kg T: P Stokes | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| 9 | Highly Righteous (12)J: Teodore Nugent 56.5kg T: J F Moloney | $8.00 | $2.10 | Bet Now |
| 10 | Iris West (1)J: Liam Riordan 56.5kg T: Matthew Brown | $17.00 | $3.50 | Bet Now |
| 11 | Miss Gobcain (4)J: Arron Lynch 56.5kg T: Mark C Webb | $16.00 | $3.40 | Bet Now |
| 12 | Miss Kafoops (8)J: Jye Mcneil 56.5kg T: J Warren & D Krongold | $16.00 | $3.40 | Bet Now |
