Undeniably's Christmas Comeback

Undeniably's comeback from illness looked complete when he registered a well deserved black type win in the $120,000 MRC Christmas Stakes on Boxing Day.

The Kavanagh stable had battled to bring the son of Fastnet Rock back to his best after a bout of travel sickness sidelined the gelding in the lead up to the Goodwood Handicap in May 2011. But perserverance finally paid dividends ($6.80 to be precise) with the owners picking up the lions share of the $120,000 prize.

Undeniably had pleased trainer Mark Kavanagh in his work this preparation but the acid test for any galloper returning after a long lay off is raceday. When the six-year-old stormed home for second behind stablemate Catapulted in the Doveton Stakes (at his first up run) the Kavanagh camp were filled with confidence and set Undeniably for the Christmas Stakes.

He did not disappoint settling handy in fourth and producing a winning sprint in the straight for rider Jake Noonan. At the post Undeniably held a three quarter length margin over Sea Lord with Youbolt a long head away in third.

Undeniably, purchased by Mark Kavanagh as a yearling, has won four of his sixteen starts for prizemoney of $251,845.

Progressive galloper Shadow Ninja provided the Kavanagh stable with a Boxing Day double when he took out the final of the Star of Xmas Series at Morphettville, registering his fourth consecutive win in the process.