OF COURSE KEHOE’S NEW MARE COULD WIN

WHAT goes around often comes around!

Wyong trainer Allan Kehoe thought he had a nice youngster seven years ago, but was able to give her only two starts as a two-year-old.

“This was a Pierro filly named Pierrless, and her dam Ofcourseican won eight races, including the Group 1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill Gardens in 2012,” Kehoe said this morning.

“Her breeder David Bentata decided to transfer her to Victoria (where she was prepared by David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig).

“She won five races, and three of them were in Melbourne.”

Now Kehoe has the first foal of Pierrless (who died just before Christmas last year) – and has quickly struck winning form with her.

Having only her second start since being transferred from a Sydney stable, Ofcourseiam ran her rivals off their legs at Port Macquarie yesterday.

Ridden by now Newcastle-based apprentice Shannen Llewellyn, the four-year-old daughter of Zousain started at $18 in the Maiden Plate (1200m) and scored as though she was a short-priced fancy.

She drew 12 in a field of 14, but flew the gates and never gave her rivals a look-in.

Ofcourseiam was still going strong at the end and held a clear margin over Prince Rupert ($11) and $2.70 favorite Dwayne.

The mare’s victory was a “family affair” of sorts, as Llewellyn’s mother and sister both work for Kehoe at his farm.

Llewellyn recently made the move from the country to join Dwayne’s trainer Nathan Doyle at Newcastle.

Coincidentally, as with Pierrless, Ofcourseiam had two unplaced runs at Kembla Grange last year as an early three-year-old.

“She had a good spell after those first couple of starts before coming to me,” Kehoe said.

“She toyed with her rivals in winning a Wyong 845m trial on June 16, and I expected her to run well first-up over 1006m at Port Macquarie eight days later, but she ran fourth after striking some trouble at the start.

“Ofcourseiam didn’t pull up well, and I sorted out a few issues and put a tongue tie on her for yesterday’s race.

“I knew she was spot on, and told her owners I didn’t know where we would go if she didn’t run up to my expectations.

“Thankfully she did and I’m sure Ofcourseiam has a nice little future.

“We’ll look for another suitable race in the country, and I feel she will be even better at 1400m to 1600m.”

Kehoe also accepted with the mare at today’s Newcastle meeting, but opted to go to Port Macquarie because of the amount of rainfall in the Hunter and on the Central Coast.

. HOOFNOTE: Kehoe has won races with good-priced horses at the last two Friday TAB meetings.

He also scored with $26 chance Lease at Coffs Harbour yesterday week.

Story John Curtis, August 9, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos