SHAGGY’S Golden Slipper dream might be over, but Allan Kehoe still hopes to be an important player at Sydney’s autumn carnival.
The Wyong trainer is keen to qualify Prince Of Sorts for the $1m Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 12.
Thus he is looking to his lightly-raced three-year-old to bounce back to winning form at his home track tomorrow.
Prince Of Sorts again will have apprentice Olivia Chambers in the saddle when he contests the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1350m) at his second run back from a break.
Chambers’ 2kg claim will lessen the gelding’s weight to 58.5kg, and he was sharing favoritism with fellow Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan’s Invasive Dreams (Tommy Berry) at $3.40 with TAB.com.au this morning.
Invasive Dreams won her first two starts at Muswellbrook and Port Macquarie after joining Buchanan’s team before finishing sixth (after jumping from the outside barrier) to Osman in the Mudgee Cup (1400m) on February 23.
Kehoe has already had one crack at a PMC Qualifier with Prince Of Sorts, who ran seventh to Welcometobarbados in a strong Newcastle heat over 1400m on March 1.
That was his first start since running second in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1350m) against his own sex on the Beaumont track on December 26.
Kehoe wasn’t disappointed with the gelding’s March 1 performance, and says he has taken improvement from that race.
“Prince Of Sorts drew well that day and when he was the first out of the barrier, we probably should have been more positive and taken up the running,” he said.
Prince Of Sorts again has drawn well enough at barrier six at Wyong in a field of 13.
The son of Tassort fetched $22,000 when offered at the 2023 Inglis Classic yearling sale Highway session, and has won twice and been placed four times from only eight starts.
Provided Prince Of Sorts races up to expectations tomorrow, Kehoe has the option of going back to Newcastle for another 1400m Qualifier (for both provincial and eligible Midway horses) on Thursday week, or wait for the Wild Card (1350m) at home on March 29.
Under the conditions of the series, Prince Of Sorts is eligible for the Wild Card having already contested one of the Qualifiers.
Kehoe’s young sprinter is currently a $51 chance for the PMC Final.
Kehoe gave Shaggy a well deserved break after his three-win streak ended when fifth to Newcastle’s Golden Slipper hope, unbeaten Rivellino, in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 1.
But he is confidently looking forward to the future with the talented two-year-old.
“There are a couple of options with Shaggy,” Kehoe said.
“We could get him ready for a $200,000 race in Brisbane during the winter carnival, and then give him a short break and go to The Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens in August as an early three-year-old.
“Otherwise we will wait and go to The Rosebud first-up.”
Story John Curtis, March 11, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos
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