Track specialist Tuvalu provided Kermadec with another Stakes-race winner when he resumed from a spell on Wednesday, 1 May to win the Listed Wangoom Handicap over 1,200m at Warrnambool.
First-up after a four-month spell, and carrying the a huge 61.5kg in the feature sprint, Tuvalu raced to the early lead and then kicked strongly in the home straight to easily beat It’sourtime by 1.25 lengths with Flash Flood another length away in third place.
A dual Stakes winner previously – including victory in the 2022 G1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield – Tuvalu has now won nine races and been placed nine times from 22 starts for prize money of just over $2 million.
Trained on the track by Lindsey Smith and ridden by Fred Kersley, the six-year-old is undefeated in four starts at Warrnambool and is now a winner of four races with two placings from six starts on Soft racing surfaces.
Tuvalu is out of the Exceed And Excel mare Hanging’ Tough and was bred by Merricks Station.
The then colt was offered at the 2019 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, fetching $200,000 to the bid of Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) and Lindsey Smith.
Tuvalu’s win came just 10 days after Singapore’s champion galloper Lim’s Kosciuszko (Kermadec) recorded his ninth Stakes victory in the Listed E.W. Barker Trophy over 1,400m at Kranji.
Kermadec was a dual G1 winner on the racetrack and has now sired 94 winners of 251 races worldwide.
G1 winners Montefilia (four), Willowy and Amokura are among his seven Black-Type winners of 21 Stakes races.
Kermadec will again stand in 2024 at Northwood Park in Victoria for a service fee of $16,500, GST inclusive.
💥 Stakes Winner 💥 TUVALU (Kermadec) resumes with a smart front-running performance to score in the Listed Wangoom H. under @FKersley for @LSmithRacing at @wboolracingclub. He was an @inglis_sales Premier purchase from @MerricksStation. Congrats 🙌 pic.twitter.com/26FYcx8fGB
— Boomer Bloodstock (@CraigRounsefell) May 1, 2024
Build him a statue! 👑
— Racing.com (@Racing) May 1, 2024
G1 winner Tuvalu carries 61.5kg to win the Wangoom Handicap 🔥 @LSmithRacing @FKersley pic.twitter.com/cNByI6MtBR
👉 After an impressive performance in the Listed Wangoom Handicap, Tuvalu (#Kermadec) is set to head to the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup! https://t.co/pdwYkCYl7G
— Darley in Australia (@DarleyAus) May 1, 2024