They’re Racing In Colin’s Heats On Tuesday

The long term local and national administrator Colin Keen is remembered by his annual memorial race hosted by Colin’s former Otago GRC at Forbury Park over 545m at Group 2 level. Two, very competitive heats have been drawn for Tuesday’s meeting with the first four finishers advancing through to the $16,000 final which will be decided during Otago’s New Year’s Eve meeting.  

Pictured: Last season’s Colin Keen Memorial winner Know Threat with trainer and co-owner Gary Cleeve with Colin’s widow Sandra (pic Dave Robbie)   

Here’s a look at the Colin Keen Memorial heat contenders.

Heat 1, race 11 (3.08pm)

1 Know State: She has won all three of her trap 1 races. She has also compiled very tidy 545m stats on this track. She holds advancement claims for last year’s winning trainer here.

2 Oster Bale: He stylishly stepped up to open class racing at Addington on Thursday to deliver the meet best 30.07s 520m time. He won his only 545m race here in a tidy 32.27s.

3 Spring Falcon: If he ever hops away on terms with his rivals, then this bloke would be winning races in a row. He rocketed home late for his last start Hatrick Group 2 520m third placing.

4 Our Jolene: She has recently graduated into the open class chasing ranks. She found herself tangled up in midfield traffic when going into the first turn in the Thursday Addington 520m race won by Oster Bale.

5 Egomaniacal: This fella is a proven Forbury Park chaser as seen when he won this year’s Dunedin Cup. He also finished fourth in this final last year, however his poor draw has made his claims here a fair bit tougher.

6 Know Shame: She makes her return to this venue after her strong finishing Tuesday NZRS Advanced Ascot Park 457m 26.09s heat win. Her stats around this circuit makes for sound reading.      

7 Start The Show: The NZ Cup third placegetter gamely chased Oster Bale home three lengths behind him at Addington on Thursday. Expect another bold effort from this bloke here.

8 Dyna Xarvel: He was impeded when going into the first turn during his Thursday 520m race. He was bold in his prior start when he landed his 30.35s Addington C3 520m win from this trap.

Reserves – Goldstar Sydney: She’s a stayer, who returned to Addington to suffer from a traffic impeded 520m passage last Thursday after her bold prior Hatrick feature 755m third placing.

10 Opawa Deal: He downgraded back to C4 following his last start Hatrick C5 520m miss. Don’t forget that this bloke was a November New Zealand Cup finalist.

Colin Keen Memorial heat 1 contenders includes (from left): Oster Bale; Spring Falcon; Start The Show

Heat 2, race 12 (3.26 pm)

1 Double Speed: He has delivered solid recent Addington 520m (30.27s) and Ascot Park 457m (25.98s) wins and another competitive race can be expected from this bloke here, especially if he jumps straight onto the early pace.

2 Know Betrayal: He relishes racing around this circuit and he can add to his tidy looking track stats in this event. He’s bringing a field best 32.37s winning 545m clock into this event.

3 Dyna Dave: He’s making his return to this venue with the 545m trip here being absolutely ideal for him. He endured a luckless racing passage during his last start Hatrick Group 1 520m assignment.

4 Opawa Nat: She pressed on solidly for her 2.75 length Thursday Addington Restricted Age second placing after earlier in the week she was bold when making her staying debut over 645m when finishing second.

5 Know Refusal: He’s another chaser who has forged a respectable record on this track. His poor draw isn’t likely to faze him as he generally settles back during the early rush prior to charging home late.

6 Uthor Bale: He is giving away a slice of class to other rivals here being a C4 assessed chaser, but in saying that it won’t be long before this fella earns his open class chasing stripes judging by his smart 30s Addington 520m C3 win two races ago.

7 Opawa May: This C4 assessed chaser gamely chased after the pacesetters in Thursday’s C4/5 520m Addington race for her fourth placing to Oster Bale. Two days earlier she was run down by Know Shame in her Southland NZRS Advanced 457m heat.

8 Thrilling Watch: He attended the early pace but didn’t kick on when he contested his Thursday Addington 520m C4/5 race. He must place himself straight onto the early pace from out here.

Reserves – 9 Dyna Varsity: He will make his track debut here if he’s required after being downgraded back to C4 following his recent Hatrick 520m misses. 

10 Know Denying: The key to his claims here is his bold 4.75 length 545m second here to his kennel mate Know Betrayal two races ago. He’s another who owns strength at the business end of his races.

Colin Keen Memorial heat 2 contenders includes (from left): Know Betrayal; Dyna Dave: Uthor Bale