Keast has two in Gore juvenile feature

The non-win two year old race at Gore on Sunday has attracted a field of ten juveniles and Weedon’s trainer Darren Keast who is currently based at Brent Shirley’s barn at Ascot Park, has two youngsters in the $12,000 Betavet Mobile Pace.

Uncle William (Downbytheseaside) is having his first start. He’s out of thirteen win mare Party Girl Becqui and has been to four trials, winning his last at Rangiora twelve days ago.

“He can be a bit highly strung at times but I think the trip down here will really help him and hopefully settle him down,” Keast said.

Uncle William has drawn the outside of the front row and will be handled by Shane Walkinshaw.

“I think being out there could be a good thing. I’d rather be out there than in one, because with horses outside of him that’s when he’d be likely to get riled up.”

The second of Keast’s runners Dream Street (Lazarus) is closely related to champion racehorse Auckland Reactor.

He’s had one race day start, finishing seventh in the Diamond Creek/SBSR Juvenile Stakes at Oamaru behind quality juvenile Incentivise.

“The plan was to run him there and then bring him down here. I said to the owners that we’re probably throwing him in with the lions so to speak. He came down here straight after Oamaru.  He’s ahead of the others in the fact that he’s had two weeks down here so he’s had time to settle in.”

He’s been back to the workouts since his last start, winning his heat at Wyndham last weekend.

“Mark Hurrell drove him and he’s bolted himself to the seat now.”

Keast’s pick of the two is Uncle William.

“If he’s on his game he’s probably the pick of them.”

Keast is in Southland for a month.

“I’ve got the three two year olds and Tosana. It’s good because in Canterbury there’s only one race most weeks for the two year olds so you have to race against the best. If Jumal is not in it Incentivise is, so you’ve got nowhere to hide. There’s also a lot of mile races for Tosana.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink