Matildas captain’s namesake ready for Australian debut

Samkerr (Art Major) will be hoping to emulate her namesakes ability to rise to the occasion when she lines up in Saturday night’s Garrards Horse and Hound three-year-old Gold Chalice on Sportsbet A.G. Hunter Cup night.

The filly named after Australian Matildas captain Sam Kerr will have her first run on Australian soil after coming across from New Zealand.

“At the time of naming her, Sam Kerr was very prominent and I was thinking who is a prominent Australian female sporting star and Sam Kerr fit the bill,” Owner Mick Harvey said.

The three-year-old has two starts in New Zealand in December of 2024 and finished eight and 12^th her respective runs.

“She was pretty average and was in season and there was a bit of a virus floating around and she didn’t perform that well,” he said.

The filly out of Naiya Franco has moved over to the powerhouse Emma Stewart stable where Harvey has a number of other horses stabled.

“I bred her and brought her over from New Zealand and we are looking forward to having her first run back on Saturday night,” he said.

“She is doing everything right and is looking well and I am looking forward to her doing everything right on Saturday. 

“I don’t have a lot of expectations, but anything out of Emma and Clayton’s stable – run well.”

Harvey will also have a number of other runners on the Sportsbet A.G. Hunter Cup card.

“I have also got Rescume and Milli Me and Kingman with Emma (Stewart)”.

Elite NSW reinsman Cam Hart is set to drive the filly for the $20,000 event.

The Garrards Horse and Hound three-year-old Gold Chalice is the final event on the Sportsbet A.G. Hunter Cup card and is set to go at 10.50pm.