Keitel launches $500,000 Cups quest

By Glenn Davis

Trainer David Vandyke has 500,000 reasons to consider pushing ahead with a Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival campaign with his “mighty midget” Keitel.

The new Great Northern Crowns bonus initiative will see $500,000 awarded to any horse that can secure all four major Cups races held across Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns. 

In addition, a bonus of $250,000 will be awarded to any horse that can secure three out of the four staying or sprint races

Keitel has only been in Vandyke’s stables for just over a year, but has already won three times for the Caloundra trainer, including his explosive win in the Rockhampton Cup last Saturday.

Keitel ran an eye-catching third to Chris Waller’s galloper Sun God in the Listed Tattersall’s Mile at Eagle Farm last month.

Keitel carried a featherweight 53kg in the Tattersall’s Mile and had no problem lumping an extra six kilograms in the Rockhampton Cup, which was the first leg of the Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.

The diminutive grey stands just over 15 hands, but what he lacks in physical size, he makes up with his lion heart.

Stradbroke Handicap-winning jockey Taylor Marshall rode Keitel in the Tatt’s Mile, but due to Brisbane commitments was replaced by Ryan Wiggins for his Rockhampton Cup assignment.

Wiggins, who knows Callaghan Park like the back of his hand, had Keitel in last place mid-race before the six-year-old unleashed a powerful finish to beat last year’s Townsville Cup champion Quothquan by almost two lengths.

“There’s a good chance he’ll run in the Mackay Cup next week, but I want to look at the nominations first,” Vandyke said.

“The pressure is off now, but it’s a bit tricky to say if he’ll chase the big bonus right now as it’ll depend on the weight he gets.”

Vandyke was never concerned when Keitel was in last place, but admitted to having some other reservations in the Rockhampton Cup.

“I wasn’t worried when he was last, but I was a bit concerned when he was caught on the fence,” he said.

“But, it was a 10 out of 10 ride by Ryan.”

Meanwhile, Townsville trainer Les Gordy will continue his chase for a $250,000 Great Northern Crowns bonus with talented sprinter Demon Award.

A further $500,000 will also be on offer if any horse can take out all four of the Northern Carnival’s feature sprints – the Rockhampton Newmarket, Mackay Newmarket, Cleveland Bay, and Cairns Newmarket. 

A $250,000 bonus will be awarded if one horse wins three of the four features.

“We opted to bypass the Mackay Newmarket as he had such a big trip down from Townsville to 'Rocky',” Gordy said.

“We felt the turnaround for the Mackay Newmarket was a little too quick for him, so we didn’t accept.

“He ran fifth in last year’s Cleveland Bay and it was always the plan to run in the Cleveland Bay again after 'Rocky'.

“He pulled up well after 'Rocky', so he’ll go to the Cleveland Bay and then Cairns and will be a lot fitter.”