Katie McKeen
Trish Dunell
A free-wheeling performance that saw home track mare Katie McKeen score a comprehensive all-the-way win at New Plymouth on Saturday has trainer Gary McBeth set to back up his pride and joy in this weekend's Listed Taumarunui Gold Cup.
The rising seven-year-old simply broke her opponent's hearts as she adopted her preferred pacemaking duties in the Seaton Park sponsored rating 85 2000 metre contest. Rider Rosie Myers kept up a solid clip in front and when she slipped three lengths clear with 600 metres to run the writing was on the wall that a victory loomed.
The mare simply kept running as she ground her rivals into the Taranaki mud with only Perfect Start offering any resistance although she was seven lengths adrift at the finish line with a further 14 lengths back to the third placed Our Gazza.
"On a track like that she just loves it when she is rolling along," said an emotional McBeth after the race.
"It was a big weight to carry (58kgs) so it was a brave performance. I'm just rapt.
"Hopefully we can take on the Taumarunui Cup at Rotorua next."
Myers was equally as taken with the performance which saw the Keeninsky mare complete a winning treble after scoring in similar fashion at her last start in the Kiwifruit Cup at Tauranga.
"Nothing had been making any ground up all day so I thought I'd really get going at the 600 metre mark," she said.
"She just swims on that sort of track. There's not many that can keep up with her when she's going along like that so I don't see why she couldn't be competitive if she steps up to the Rotorua race next week." – NZ Racing Desk
The rising seven-year-old simply broke her opponent's hearts as she adopted her preferred pacemaking duties in the Seaton Park sponsored rating 85 2000 metre contest. Rider Rosie Myers kept up a solid clip in front and when she slipped three lengths clear with 600 metres to run the writing was on the wall that a victory loomed.
The mare simply kept running as she ground her rivals into the Taranaki mud with only Perfect Start offering any resistance although she was seven lengths adrift at the finish line with a further 14 lengths back to the third placed Our Gazza.
"On a track like that she just loves it when she is rolling along," said an emotional McBeth after the race.
"It was a big weight to carry (58kgs) so it was a brave performance. I'm just rapt.
"Hopefully we can take on the Taumarunui Cup at Rotorua next."
Myers was equally as taken with the performance which saw the Keeninsky mare complete a winning treble after scoring in similar fashion at her last start in the Kiwifruit Cup at Tauranga.
"Nothing had been making any ground up all day so I thought I'd really get going at the 600 metre mark," she said.
"She just swims on that sort of track. There's not many that can keep up with her when she's going along like that so I don't see why she couldn't be competitive if she steps up to the Rotorua race next week." – NZ Racing Desk
