Kimochi, Learning To Fly Fight Out Exciting Finish in 2024 Light Fingers Stakes Result

The Group 1 riches of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival look to be calling for the Gary Portelli-trained Kimochi who narrowly saluted first-up in the 2024 Light Fingers Stakes results at Randwick.

2024 Light Fingers Stakes winner Kimochi got her nose down right on the line to post a well-deserved Group 2 win. Photo: Steve Hart.

In the day’s final Group status race, the nicely-bred daughter of Brave Smash just accounted for the returning Learning To Fly in an exciting finish to the Group 2 $300,000 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m).

Kimochi ($6.50), ridden by Jason Collett, was having her first run since a second at Caulfield last November in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m).

“That gate was a huge help, she was able to sit a pair closer whereas last prep we just seemed to be getting there at the line but just not close enough. Great to come back, she only had a short let-up too so very good,” Collett said of the Light Fingers Stakes winner.

“That was fantastic against these same fillies she was up against in the spring. To come back and beat them, yeah very good.”

She had been thereabouts all autumn recording a string of frustrating placings in Sydney’s Princess Series including her second to Tropical Squall in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) here in September.

Today she was able to finally go one better and shrug off her bridesmaid tag with a tight but convincing victory getting her nose down right on the line after her and Learning To Fly ($4.20F) flashed home late down the middle of the track to fight it out.

“I tell you, it’s an amazing feeling. I thought when the second horse (Learning To Fly) moved up I thought ‘here we go again, it’s going to get beat again.’ I was ready for the sad story but she fought strongly and we’re in for a big prep,” Portelli told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-victory.

“She’s got that tenacity, hasn’t she? She’s come off the carpet there I thought she was gone for sure. I love this filly.”

It was a promising return from the Annabel Neasham-trained runner-up Learning To Fly who, previously undefeated, came amiss when suffering interference and failing to finish in last year’s Golden Slipper as a two-year-old.

Rounding out the Light Fingers Stakes trifecta in third was Learning To Fly’s stablemate, Kristilli ($18), who was an eye-catcher second-up after running fourth fresh at Rosehill in the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) earlier in the month.

The likely next-up option for the best out of the Light Fingers Stakes is the Group 1 $750,000 Surround Stakes (1400m) back at the track on March 2^nd.

Nakeeta Jane (2019) was the last filly to complete the Light Fingers Stakes – Surround Stakes double.

All-in 2024 Surround Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Kimochi at $5 as the second elect behind Learning To Fly ($4.50) and are available in full by clicking here.

2024 Light Fingers Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Starting Price
1	1	KIMOCHI	Gary Portelli	Jason Collett		3	56kg	$6.50
2	3	LEARNING TO FLY	Annabel Neasham	Chad Schofield	0.07L	11	56kg	$4.20F
3	5	KRISTILLI	Annabel Neasham	Zac Lloyd (a)	1.83L	8	56kg	$18
4	12	STEFI MAGNETICA	Bjorn Baker	Joshua Parr	2.26L	9	56kg	$26
5	7	FACILE	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	Tim Clark	2.6L	2	56kg	$13
6	2	TIZ INVINCIBLE	Ciaron Maher	James McDonald	2.83L	10	56kg	$4.60
7	9	ARCTIC GLAMOUR	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	Kerrin McEvoy	3.09L	7	56kg	$6.50
8	6	AUTUMN BALLET	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Adam Hyeronimus	3.96L	1	56kg	$14
9	11	KIND WORDS	Kris Lees	Sam Clipperton	5.38L	5	56kg	$81
10	4	MUMBAI MUSE	Michael Freedman	Tommy Berry	16.33L	4	56kg	$6.50
11	13	I’M A STEEL	Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones	Dylan Gibbons (a)	18L	6	56kg	$81
	8	WEST OF DALBY	Benjamin Smith	Brock Ryan		0
	10	BALLROOM BELLA	Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou	Tyler Schiller		0