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Keith shines first-up

3 minute read

Coronation Keith potentially Carr's best.

CORONATION KEITH winning the The Examiner (Bm62). Picture: Tas Racing

Lightly raced gelding Coronation Keith looks set to carry on where he left off last season following an impressive first-up win in a benchmark 62 handicap over 1200m in Launceston on Wednesday night.

Coronation Keith was asked to lug 61.5kg against strong opposition but the Siggy Carr-trained gelding made light of the task to race outside of the leader before forging clear in the home straight.

The powerfully built liver chestnut was a slow maturing type that has been given plenty of time to develop.

"I have to thank the owners for allowing me to give his horse plenty of time to mature and I'm sure we are all going to reap the rewards," Carr said.

Coronation Keith was ridden by Troy Baker who said the gelded son of Puissance De Lune has an amazing cruising speed.

"Riding this horse is different to most because he travels a lot quicker than it feels and it is very hard to hold him back – he just wants to get on with it," Baker said.

"He is a very good horse and has untapped ability."

Carr said she will continue to progress the gelding through the grades.

"We will continue to look after him because I am excited about what he could be capable of further down the track," Car said.

Carr started the night with a winner in the opening race in former Victorian mare Iris West ($16) that scored an impressive win in the City of Launceston Maiden over 1400m.

Iris West jumped a half-length clear and ended up racing outside of the leader Gee Gee Ariel and they raced three lengths clear of the rest to the home turn.

When Carr called on her mare for an effort the four-year-old quickly put a couple of lengths on her rivals and went on to score by over a length from Poet Warrior ($4.20) with Bynance ($7) closing late for third.

"We got this mare from Matthew Brown (Victorian trainer) who sent a few horses over and this mare was one that was taken over by us and I'm very grateful," Carr said.

"When she jumped well, I was pleased because I thought the rails would be the place to be and siting outside the leader still allowed us to dictate the speed.

"The way she won I would expect her to win more races."