Katie McKeen
Trish Dunell
Gary McBeth is praying the weather experts have got their weekend predictions right.
The Taranaki owner-trainer would love to see a few more showers at Te Rapa where his mare Katie McKeen will tackle Saturday's Team Wealleans 2100.
"It's a Dead 6, but I'd like it a lot better if there was more rain – the forecast is for showers so I hope that's right," he said.
Katie McKeen has made good progress this preparation and she was a winner on her home track at New Plymouth in June and she then headed to Tauranga where she coasted to a 13 length victory in the Kiwifruit Cup.
The daughter of Keeninsky completed her hat-trick with further success at New Plymouth before she was tripped up by track conditions when fifth in the Listed Taumarunui Gold Cup.
"It was too sticky at Rotorua," McBeth said. "She doesn't mind it slushy or sloppy, she's as good as gold when it's like that, but not sticky."
Katie McKeen, who will be ridden by Robert Hannam, has taken no harm from the race and the seven-year-old is expected to run well given the right underfoot conditions at Te Rapa.
"We've had no problems at all since Rotorua," McBeth said. "She's a happy horse and there's nothing quirky about her – she's easy to handle."
Katie McKeen was bred by McBeth and she is now the last of the breed in his stable.
"I had Sir Gonzalez, who was a half-brother by Fast 'N' Famous and he could gallop on his own, butas soon as he was in company he would spit the dummy so he's gone," he said.
– NZ Racing Desk.
The Taranaki owner-trainer would love to see a few more showers at Te Rapa where his mare Katie McKeen will tackle Saturday's Team Wealleans 2100.
"It's a Dead 6, but I'd like it a lot better if there was more rain – the forecast is for showers so I hope that's right," he said.
Katie McKeen has made good progress this preparation and she was a winner on her home track at New Plymouth in June and she then headed to Tauranga where she coasted to a 13 length victory in the Kiwifruit Cup.
The daughter of Keeninsky completed her hat-trick with further success at New Plymouth before she was tripped up by track conditions when fifth in the Listed Taumarunui Gold Cup.
"It was too sticky at Rotorua," McBeth said. "She doesn't mind it slushy or sloppy, she's as good as gold when it's like that, but not sticky."
Katie McKeen, who will be ridden by Robert Hannam, has taken no harm from the race and the seven-year-old is expected to run well given the right underfoot conditions at Te Rapa.
"We've had no problems at all since Rotorua," McBeth said. "She's a happy horse and there's nothing quirky about her – she's easy to handle."
Katie McKeen was bred by McBeth and she is now the last of the breed in his stable.
"I had Sir Gonzalez, who was a half-brother by Fast 'N' Famous and he could gallop on his own, butas soon as he was in company he would spit the dummy so he's gone," he said.
– NZ Racing Desk.
