Nelle Keenan goes sensational time at Ashburton

Steven Reid trained Nelle Keenan (Downbytheseaside) put her name up in lights at Ashburton today when she broke a New Zealand record in the $40,000 Group Three Helen Pope Memorial.

After sitting back early, driver Ricky May send her forward at the 1250 metre mark to lead and there she stayed, showing plenty of determination to hold on and beat a late charging Jorja by a head with a further length back to Tuapeka Rubie.

“At her first start she sat parked outside Hayden and Amanda Cullen’s horse (Wot Fun) and she showed a fair amount of tenacity that day, so I wasn’t surprised. I’d say at this stage she’s more of a gritty stayer,” Reid said.

NELLE KEENAN REPLAY

The winning time of 1-58.9 lowered Millwood Nike’s 2022 New Zealand record time of 1-59.1 and also bettered the previous race record of 2-02.0 recorded by 2024 winner Gone Surfin.

“You’re thinking if you can do that now and you’re going to be better in six months, you’d be thinking that she’d be a live chance on being a good filly.”

Nella Keenan will be turned out tomorrow for a six week spell and then prepare for the big two year old fillies features later in the year.

“When they come back in, you want to see them transform. You want to look at them and say wow. What happens is a lot of horses don’t. You turn them out and they come back and look pretty much the same. All the good horses I’ve had when you turn them out and they come back, they’ve visually transformed.”

The two year old filly is an out and out Woodlands Stud product with Downbytheseaside, Sweet Lou and Bettor’s Delight in her immediate pedigree.

“It was Kelly Blackmore that got me this girl. Every year Woodlands select a few fillies to not go through the sales. Kelly really liked her. She rang me and said ‘hey look I’m going to try and get you this filly to train.’ I thought that was good and she’s by Downbytheseaside which I’m all over.”

Nella Keenan is out of four win Sweet Lou mare Shes No Lady which Reid and his then training partner Simon McMullen trained to win four races. In the hands of Reid she won the Delightful Lady Classic.

“She probably didn’t go on and realise the promise she showed early.”

Shes No Lady is a full-sister to Cantfindabettorman, the winner of twenty one races.

“She (Nelle Keenan) didn’t really show a lot early on. When I was working her up she wasn’t my best two year old filly at all, but ever since she’s started to go to the trials she’s got better and better.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink