The owners of Tasmanian galloper Kenjorwood have admitted that they took “a big gamble’’ when they paid $41,000 for the horse at the 2011 Magic Millions yearling sale.
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It was a sizeable investment for a locally-bred colt and it took a long time to return a decent dividend.
But five years down the track, after showing patience and unwavering faith in their horse, they can genuinely claim to have made a bargain buy.
Kenjorwood took his earnings to $514,000 when he won at Sandown on Saturday.
He’s also won twice at Flemington, twice at Caulfield and once at Randwick.
It’s been a success story most Tasmanian owners only get to dream about – but it didn’t happen overnight.
Kenjorwood won his first ever start at Mowbray in November 2011. It was a good race, the Alfa Bowl, and although first prize was less than half his purchase price, it delivered a promise of better things to come.
Part-owner Darren Kenny, who was training him at the time, foreshadowed a tilt at the feature races over summer.
But when Kenjorwood returned from a spell three months later, it signaled the start of a frustrating run of near-misses, including a second in the Gold Sovereign and third in the Magic Millions.
More frustration was to follow when he came back as a three-year-old – seconds in the 3YO Trophy and Tasmanian and Hobart Guineas and fourth in the Tasmanian Derby.
A midfield finish in the Hobart Cup wrapped up a winless campaign.
Kenjorwood’s owners had by then gone 15 months without another win but, to their credit and ultimately financial benefit, they did not lose faith.
When the horse returned late in 2013, they bit the bullet and sent him straight to Melbourne where Peter Moody showed equally good judgment by agreeing to train a Tasmanian that had won just one race.
Four promising but winless runs preceded another spell.
Kenjorwood resumed racing again in mid-2014 and by the time he scored second-up at Bendigo, he had gone 2-1/2 years without a win.
But that lowly Benchmark 70 victory was to be the start of a great journey for his Devonport owners – Kenny, Ted and Leigh Jordan and Leigh Winwood.
Wins quickly followed at Flemington and Caulfield before placings in the Moe and Kyneton Cups and another spell.
In two campaigns since, Kenjorwood has raced 14 times on city tracks and missed a stake cheque only twice.
He is now with the unstoppable Darren Weir who is considering extending the owners’ joyride to a fourth state. A trip to Queensland is a possibility.