Ethiopia, Kronfeld duel excites top hoop
Leading Goldfields rider Edward Creighton can't wait for former Patinack Farm galloper Kronfeld to meet Ethiopia in Sunday's $100,000 Hahn Electrical Coolgardie Cup (1760m).
Ethiopia, a former Australian Derby winner and two-times Melbourne Cup runner, will be the headline act as the racing heats up in Kalgoorlie.
Breeder-owner Trevor Delroy is looking to use the Coolgardie Cup where Ethiopia is the 61.5kg topweight, as a launching pad for a return to Melbourne for the $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 4.
Ethiopia drew barrier five and Kronfeld came up with gate eight.
Creighton leads all Kalgoorlie jockeys this season with 21 wins.
The English Group-winning hoop rode Get Round It to a resounding win in the Tattersall's Club Cup (2300m) last Sunday week, but identified Kronfeld as his Coolgardie Cup ride early in the season.
Creighton, who is based at Albany and received his Australian citizenship in May, was having his first ride on the Helen Harding-trained Get Round It.
"I've been riding for Helen since I came here," Creighton said.
"I never told her straight I was going to ride Kronfeld, but she sort of knew the two horses were going to clash and which way I was going."
The Merv Dellar-trained Kronfeld was part of Nathan Tinkler's draft that went under the hammer in Patinack's unreserved dispersal sale at last year's national yearling sale on the Gold Coast.
Unplaced in two Kalgoorlie starts last year, Kronfeld has improved dramatically this season, recording five wins and a second at his six starts.
He officially turned four this month, but he is a November 2010 foal.
Creighton has ridden Kronfeld in all of his wins.
"I always thought I had a talented stayer in the making," Creighton said.
