![Zac Lloyd guides Chains Of Love to a remarkable victory in the $2 million Kosciuszko at Randwick after covering significant extra ground throughout the race. [Bradley Photos]](https://betsy.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2378921.jpg)
She drew barrier 12, was never closer than five deep without cover, was pushed even wider on the turn but somehow found a way to run down Band Of Brothers in an exciting finish.
For trainers Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich, this was their second successive Kosciuswzko after winning the big race with Clear Thinking last year.
But Messara was in awe of Chains Of Love’s effort to cover so much extra ground and still find enough stamina reserves to reel in Bands Of Brothers in an exciting finish.
“I thought she was going to run last- I don’t know how she won,” Messara said.
“It was a great win. We were five deep from the start and honestly I thought we had no hope.
“It was an amazing effort by our horse.”
Chains Of Love ($5), bred and owned by Arrowfield Stud supremo John Messara and ridden by Zac Lloyd, finished with admirable determination to overhaul Band Of Brothers ($9) to win by a head with So You Pence ($4.80 favourite) a length away third.
Lloyd said he had no other option but to stay on a wide course and try to keep Chains Of Love in a nice rhythm.
“Obviously you don’t want to be four and five wide but they weren’t going quick,” Lloyd said.
“She is very big and I’d much rather be there than in on the fence. I was just focusing on her.
“It was a bit like a trackwork gallop because I was just trying to keep her in a rhythm.
“I just trusted that she will pick up and go through her gears. She’s a big horse and needs a bit of space to wind up but she is very tenacious.
“Full credit to Paul and Leah. To get this horse here first-up and with a tough run to be as gritty as she was the last 50m. All credit to them – I didn’t do much. It helps being on fast horses.”
Chains Of Love is one of the best-bred mares in training being by Yarraman Park super sire I Am Invincible out of Group 1 Thousand Guineas winner Stay With Me, herself a daughter of champion mare Miss Finland so her Kosciuszko win sends her value as a potential broodmare into the stratosphere.
“We set her up for this race a long time ago and it is nice when a plan comes off,” Messara said.
“She is a trouble-free mare, straight forward to train, but we have been patient with her, she is lightly raced with a lot of upside.
“We thought if we could set her for this race, she could run well. It’s amazing with the run she had that she was able to win.”
