Katie McKeen
Race Images Palmerston North
Keeninsky seven-year-old mare Katie McKeen could be lining up for her last race at her home track at New Plymouth on Thursday.
The Gary McBeth-trained runner will be backing up after her disappointing run in the Listed Wanganui Cup on Saturday.
McBeth said the mare just hasn't come right since returning from an enforced spell last year.
"She hurt a tendon before her last race last year. That's okay now, but I'm struggling to get her right.
"She got away from me in the summer, she got too fat and I've been struggling to get it off her.
"She's well enough in herself, it's just she might have lost the spirit to win."
McBeth said it may be her last race depending on how she runs, with a view to breeding from the eight-time winning mare this coming season.
"We'll find out tomorrow, we'll do our best and see how she goes."
Meanwhile, McBeth said he was delighted with her stablemate Sakura's standout win at Wanganui on Saturday.
The Mr Nancho mare ran very wide for the majority of the race and still scored by nearly two-lengths over runner-up Blackgammon and McBeth said she was better out there and staying out of trouble.
"She drew fifteen, so she was going to be fairly wide. She has been wide in her last three races and still done well.
"She's a horse that if she got a little bit of a check when she's in close it takes a while for her to get back into her stride again. So probably over that distance she's mostly better out of trouble."
McBeth said he will continue racing Sakura over the winter months with her next start likely to be at Tauranga later this month. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Gary McBeth-trained runner will be backing up after her disappointing run in the Listed Wanganui Cup on Saturday.
McBeth said the mare just hasn't come right since returning from an enforced spell last year.
"She hurt a tendon before her last race last year. That's okay now, but I'm struggling to get her right.
"She got away from me in the summer, she got too fat and I've been struggling to get it off her.
"She's well enough in herself, it's just she might have lost the spirit to win."
McBeth said it may be her last race depending on how she runs, with a view to breeding from the eight-time winning mare this coming season.
"We'll find out tomorrow, we'll do our best and see how she goes."
Meanwhile, McBeth said he was delighted with her stablemate Sakura's standout win at Wanganui on Saturday.
The Mr Nancho mare ran very wide for the majority of the race and still scored by nearly two-lengths over runner-up Blackgammon and McBeth said she was better out there and staying out of trouble.
"She drew fifteen, so she was going to be fairly wide. She has been wide in her last three races and still done well.
"She's a horse that if she got a little bit of a check when she's in close it takes a while for her to get back into her stride again. So probably over that distance she's mostly better out of trouble."
McBeth said he will continue racing Sakura over the winter months with her next start likely to be at Tauranga later this month. – NZ Racing Desk.