The Caulfield Guineas rank outsider that could make his trainer Rich Enuff

Ben Dorries - Friday October 13

Ken Keys once narrowly failed to join the Group I club with a raging Caulfield Guineas favourite but reckons his $151 Guineas outsider can make an impact on Saturday.

Advertisement
He appeared to hold the keys to the 2014 Caulfield Guineas with Rich Enuff but veteran trainer Ken Keys is hoping for a miracle result with the rank Guineas outsider in 2017

Three years ago the veteran Cranbourne trainer went into the 2014 Guineas with $1.80 favourite Rich Enuff which just got rolled by Shooting To Win after a week of bedlam in the Keys camp.

In the heady times which led up to the race, Keys accepted Racing Victoria's offer of help to deal with a stream of media and other requests, at a time when he was trying to prepare Rich Enuff for the race and the sale of the colt was being negotiated.

Keys has been much calmer this week and he chuckles when he says Racenet's telephone call has been the only media enquiry he has fielded about his $151 Guineas outsider Al Passem.

But he says the son of Al Maher, who wears the same colours as Rich Enuff, would be taken much more seriously by everyone if it wasn't for a run in the Guineas Prelude that he describes as a "disaster."

Apprentice Ben Thompson tried to go forward on Al Passem in the Prelude but when that didn't go to plan the colt was jagged back and over-raced fiercely, beaten 7.2 lengths behind Perast.

"If you take out that disaster last start, his previous runs were really good including being beaten just a couple of lengths behind Catchy," Keys said.

"There was some trainer and jockey error in the Prelude and it was a total disaster.

"I know he was beaten a long way but the good thing was he was still trying to find the line after over-racing for a furlong.

"No-one has ever particularly shown much interest in this horse but I myself have a great opinion of him.

"He goes out at silly odds in the Guineas and those odds are not a true reflection of his ability or the fact he has always been crying out for 1600m.

"We have drawn shocking and if we try to take them on we will crucify ourselves.

"So we will drop back to hopefully seventh or eight and hopefully be running home strongly."

However Al Passem fares in the Guineas, Keys says it has been a lot less stressful time than in the lead-up to the 2014 Guineas.

The trainer was just about out of petrol tickets by raceday when he watched Rich Enuff get taken on up front around the Caulfield turn, only to narrowly go down to Shooting To Win.

"It's been a bit easier to deal with this week," Keys laughs.

"Before the 2014 race I remember Racing Victoria ringing me up and asking how I was travelling with the media.

"I told them I was struggling and I just didn't know how to handle it, so they helped me out.

"It was a rather silly period and it was getting a bit ridiculous, media people were coming out of trees wanting a piece of me.

"In the end, all the work that Rich Enuff did in the race that day took a toll on him. The race was really set up for a swooper.

"I always felt he deserved to win a Group I and that was probably my biggest disappointment.

"I'm a pretty basic bloke – money wouldn't have changed my life – it was more about what I was trying to achieve by winning a Group I."

Rich Enuff raced on after the 2014 Guineas but never won another race and he now stands at Victoria's Woodside Park Stud.

Keys' wife Louise owned 70 percent of Rich Enuff in his racing days and she now owns 50 percent of Al Passem.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Third Group 1 Victory For Zoustar’s Sensational Joliestar
Cambridge Stud's outstanding Zoustar mare Joliestar was simply sensational, charging late to win the $1m BRC Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm, her third Group 1 victory.
New Stakes-Winner for Snitzel – Stradbroke Possible
The Listed $160,000 BRC Spear Chief Quality (1500m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday delivered a new stakes-winner for champion sire Snitzel with progressive four year-old gelding Transatlantic taking victory as a well backed favourite.
Cosmic Fire a New SW for Cosmic Force
Sunshine Coast trainer Billy Healey was thrilled to have a stakes-winner on a big carnival day at Eagle Farm with his talented Cosmic Force three year-old gelding Cosmic Fire soaring to new heights when taking out the $200,000 Listed BRC Queensland Day Stakes (1200m).
Capitalist Colt Records Back To Back Wins
Off the back of an explosive victory last time out at Hawkesbury when breaking his maiden by just shy of four lengths, Nathan Doyle’s Hidden Motive (Capitalist) justifiably jumped the short-priced favourite in the $160,000 Precise Air Handicap (1100m) at Randwick.
Lucrative Pay Day For Adiella In Magic Millions National Classic
Coming off a last start second in the Group 3 Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Mile (1600m), the Improving 4yo The Mission mare Adiella recorded her sixth carer victory, adding the $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic to her record.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 7
Here is the full list of 123 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
First Group Victory For $3.5m Earner Front Page
Having raced at Flemington, Rosehill and Ascot at his last three starts, the Matthew Dale trained Front Page travelled to his fourth different state in as many starts, winning the $300,000 G2 BRC Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm.
First Stakes Success For Zoustar’s Zaszou
Becoming the second stakes winner of the meeting for Widden Stud’s Zoustar, the Philip Stokes trained Zaszou captured the $160,000 Listed BRC Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m) in a photo finish.
Bold Maison Louis Resolute In Queensland Derby
The training partnership of John O’Shea and Tom Charlton continues to flourish as evidenced by a stable quinella in Saturday’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) as Maison Louis defeated King Of Thunder in a perfect result for the Sydney trainers.
Group 1 Queensland Oaks For So You Think's You Wahng
With form around some of the best 3yo staying fillies in the country, the Kris Lees trained You Wahng was too strong, winning the $700,000 Group 1 BRC Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm.