Townsville owner Kevin O’Keefe struck gold on Wednesday when his USA bred mare Kiss And Wonder won first time out at Doomben.

Kiss And Wonder (4m Three Wonders – Blow Kisses by Friendly Lover) tracked the speed set by Rongonui and then held off the closers to prevail by a nose.  She then had to survive a protest to bank first prize in the Gary Woodgate Hcp (1030m).

The Kelly Schweida trained mare arrived here with her dam in February 2009.  She was bred to northern hemisphere time hence the extended delay for her debut.

Kiss And Wonder is by Three Wonders who was Florida’s champion first and second season sire in 2006 and 2007.  A G3 winning son of Storm Cat, he was put down at Hidden Point Farm in May 2008.

O’Keefe operates MVO Industries and races numerous horses in Queensland.  He has retained younger half-sisters by Reset and Monashee Mountain to the Doomben winner.

Their dam Blow Kisses has Australian links through her half-sister Shynzi (Danzig) who is the dam of G1 Cox Plate winner Maldivian (Zabeel).