Keto’s recent trial performance has signalled a bright future here in Australia and punters will get their first look at him under race conditions this Saturday night.
The Kiwi import is now in the care of Lisa and Mark Pitt and has been added to Craig Rail’s Blackbook ahead of his first-up Aussie appearance in the Graham Head Memorial at Shepparton.
“He beat a strong field at Addington at his only New Zealand appearance and he appears to have a promising future,” Rail wrote in this week’s Trial File.
Other horses added to the Blackbook from the trials were Caulonia Courage, Exalted and Soho Moonraker.
TRIAL REPORT
SHEPPARTON 04/01/24
Trial 1: – ALASTAIR LAVROS trailed the leader early and ended up being three back on the markers from the 1400m. He came away from the inside at the quarter pole and finished off strongly to down SON OF THE SHARK, which settled down last of the seven runners before making a lightning move around the field to run to the front with 1400m remaining. CANNON BEACH was five back on the markers for the majority of the trial before moving into the one out and one back trail to follow behind ALASTAIR LAVROS with ITZMINEONTHELINE making up some ground from sixth to run into fourth. The winner ALASTAIR LAVROS is competing at Melton tonight and also Swan Hill on Tuesday night, where he strikes a very suitable assignment.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.1 Last Half: – 59.6 Margins: – 8m, 6m
Trial 5: – ALDEBARAN DINO hasn’t been able to produce his best form as yet this campaign but he had an encouraging week with successive trial victories at Shepparton. His first trial victory was over MISS FRANCENE and ILLAWONG STARDUST. He began quickly and progressed forward to find the lead over ONE MUSCLE HILL NZ then dominated the trial, dashing away at the end to win by fifteen metres with seemingly plenty in reserve. MISS FRANCENE settled four back on the markers and moved into the running lane with 300m remaining. She ran into second with ILLAWONG STARDUST being in third position after being three back on the markers throughout. ILLAWONG STARDUST will be competing in the Derby Royale FFA at Shepparton tomorrow night.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.9 Last Half: – 59.6 Margins: – 15m, 5m
Trial 6: – The former New Zealand pacer KETO NZ created a good impression and will make his Australian debut in the Graham Head Memorial on Shepparton Cup night this Saturday. He settled seven back on the markers, moved into the running lane (1-2) at the 700m and made a strong forward move with 500m remaining. He beat a strong field at Addington at his only New Zealand appearance and he appears to have a promising future. AMERICAN HAMMER NZ ran a nice race for second. He settled five back on the inside, moved into the death seat with 800m remaining and fought on well in the run to the finish. He is having his first starter for trainer David Aiken at Melton this evening. FOUR STAR SAINT finished in third after trailing the leader with STREETS OF MADRID (4 back pegs) being fourth across the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.3 Last Half: – 58.6 Margins: – 6m, 12m
BLACKBOOKER: – Keto NZ
MARYBOROUGH 07/01/24
Trial 1: – CAULONIA COURAGE delivered a stylish performance to get the prize in the opening trial. He settled three back on the inside, moved into the death seat at the 700m mark and sustained a long run to get the prize over TIL HEAVENS ROCKN, which has been racing in great form. TIL HEAVENS ROCKN settled down in last position before getting a little bit keen mid-race and finished off boldly for second. It was a good hit-out for his performance in the Hamilton Cup on Sunday. ZOOM ZOOM BOOM began quickly to lead and set up a genuine tempo before being run down over the latter stages. The first two horses across the line have a much higher National Rating however so his effort was sound.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.6 Last Half: – 58.0 Margins: – 8m, 15m
BLACKBOOKER: – Caulonia Courage
Trial 4: – XIAOBO has a lot of ability when he can put it altogether and was able to dominate his rivals in the fourth event. He was four back on the inside early, moved in the death seat at the bell and hit the lead with 600m remaining, sustaining the run to win by a large margin. KVINTET HALL trailed the leader throughout and finished in second with the early leader BILLYSOPHIA finishing in third position.
Mile Rate: – 2.8.0 Last Half: – 60.7 Margins: – 40m, 15m
Trial 5: – HES GONESKI settled last on the markers, came out three horses wide on the home turn and finished off best to win the trial easily. ERNIELOVENBOY put in a tidy display after racing out three horses wide early before moving up without cover at the 1600m mark. He did all of the work in the run and battled on well for second. KIMCHI began quickly to lead and was third across the line ahead of VILLAGE RHYTHM (5 back pegs). KIMCHI is racing at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.8 Last Half: – 60.5 Margins: – 10m, 2m
KYABRAM 07/01/24
Trials 1 + 2 were won by trainer Colin Godden with SPORT MENTAL NZ and AJAY BREEZY ROSE. SPORT MENTAL NZ was a winner at Shepparton in November and has been freshened since an unplaced run on that track in early December. She defeated the two trotters in CRESCO CASHFLOW and KAMARAN in the opening trial and will be competing at Swan Hill on Tuesday night. AJAY BREEZY ROSE has also had a freshen up after an unplaced run at Melton on December 02. She was also a winner back in November and was able to take out the second trial from DIEING ART, which is a nicely bred mare by Art Major out of the handy race mare Dieing Secret, which won 9 of her 16 career starts (1.57.1, $68,868). DIEING ART will make her debut at Swan Hill on Tuesday night and strikes a suitable assignment.
SHEPPARTON 09/01/24
Trial 1: – COVERED KYLIE began quickly to find the lead and dashed home in slick final sectionals to win clearly. She is competing at Charlton this afternoon and looms as a winning chance. BONDI PRINCE trailed the leader, moved away from the inside at the 150m and tried hard for second. RINGER RUSS finished in third position after settling four back on the markers and LITTLE MISS ARTY came from last to finish in fourth position.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.7 Last Half: – 56.8 Margins: – 6m, 8m
Trial 2: – FRANCO NOVELIST NZ settled five back on the markers and moved to the outside at the quarter pole. He was clearly the class runner of the field and finished off best to win comfortably. JITTERBUG ARDEN began quickly to find the lead and battled on well for second. She has her first start for trainer Rebecca Bartley at Swan Hill on Tuesday night. ITZMINEONTHELINE settled six back on the inside, moved into the one out and one back trail and finished off well for third. DAT LOU NZ is a former New South Wales pacer, which joins trainer Rebecca Bartley. He settled four back on the markers and finished off well from last on the home turn to pick up fourth position.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.7 Last Half: – 58.00 Margins: – 2m, 4m
Trial 3: – EMRITES progressed forward in the early stages to find the lead and ran along at a decent tempo before working away from her rivals in the latter stages to win the trial comfortably. She has had a lot of chances since her latest victory but she is a chance on that trial performance in the final event at Shepparton tomorrow night. GOT THE GOODS finished second after leading out then taking cover and SKYFALL BENCHMARK was third across the line after settling five back on the markers.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.8 Last Half: – 57.6 Margins: – 10m, 10m
Trial 5: – ALDEBARAN DINO backed up his trial victory on the Thursday night with another win five days later. He was without cover early, restrained to be five back on the markers, gained a one out and one back trail at the 600m mark then finished off best from the home turn. HANOVER STARZZZ settled three back on the markers, moved into the death seat at the 700m and battled on well for second. She is resuming from a spell at Swan Hill on Tuesday night and is not without a chance. FOUR STAR SAINT trailed the leader early, hit the front the front at the 700m and battled on fairly well for third.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.7 Last Half: – 57.6 Margins: – 2m, 5m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 09/01/24
Trial 2: – SOHO SOLITAIRE was stood down after contesting a heat of the Homegrown Classic and was able to re-qualify with a good win over LOCHINVAR CAMILA after she settled four back on the markers and moved away from the inside at the 700m mark. LOCHINVAR CAMILA finished second after trailing the leader and coming to the outside on the home turn. LONESTAR WARRIOR attempted to lead throughout and finished a close up third.
Mile Rate: – 2.8.9 Last Half: – 58.59 Margins: – 1.5m, 4m
Trial 4: – AMERICAN WEREWOLF raced without cover, progressed forward to find the lead and was able to hold off his rivals in the run to the judge. RUDY GEE led out then took cover and came to the outside on the home turn. He finished off well and just failed to gun down AMERICAN WEREWOLF in the run to the finish. BLAZIN HEAVEN finished third after being three back on the markers throughout and is backing up at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.6 Last Half: – 57.02 Margins: – ½ head, 12.5m
Trial 5: – EXALTED began quickly to find the front and ran along at a genuine tempo. She was comfortable in the run to the finish and has a low National Rating of 53 so she is worth following. BUSLIN BRODY was without cover early, restrained to be three back on the markers then moved up into the death seat again at the 800m mark. He battled on well for second with IMPERIAL WHIZ being third across the line after settling four back on the inside. IMPERIAL WHIZ is competing at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.9 Last Half: – 57.87 Margins: – 4.5m, 9.5m
BLACKBOOKER: – Exalted
Trial 7: – SOHO MOONRAKER settled three back on the markers, moved away from the inside on the home turn and finished fast to win clearly. He hasn’t started since winning the Super Series Silver event in September and appears to have come back from a break at his peak form. WOTDIDUSAAAY began fast and pressured the early leader UBETTA KNOT before finding the front with a mile remaining. He set up a genuine tempo and battled on bravely for second. He has drawn on the pole position in the Hamilton Cup on Sunday. WHOS THE MAN is a handy trotter and was taking on some good pacers. He came from eight back on the markers and finished off well for a very pleasing third. JAMES IN CHARGE finished off fast from five back on the markers to run an eye-catching third.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.4 Last Half: – 56.30 Margins: – 15m, 7.5m
BLACKBOOKER: – Soho Moonraker
Trial 9: – BULLETPROOF BOY prepared for his performance in the Shepparton Cup tomorrow night with an impressively display. He came out of the gate strongly to lead clearly, ran along at a rapid rate and still finished the trial off in a sizzling final quarter of 26.7 seconds. DISTRICT ATTORNEY was also very good in finishing second. He trailed the leader, used the sprint lane and got close to the winner in slick time. STIR ME UP is a recent Metropolitan winner and finished 44m behind the leading pair, such was the performance of the first two runners across the line. He was three back on the markers throughout and held off the challenge of HEAVENLY CHARM in the battle for third and fourth.
Mile Rate: – 1.55.2 Last Half: – 55.41 Margins: – 1/2Neck, 44m
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