Racing: Consensus mission to farewell Trevor McKee

Trevor McKee. Photo / File

Consensus will be attempting to put a ray of sunshine into an emotional week for the family of popular trainer Trevor McKee when she chases a Group One win at Randwick today.

McKee, 81, passed away last Friday and on Thursday, after attending a memorial service at Ellerslie racecourse (the burial place of their world-class mare Sunline), son Stephen packed his bag bound for Sydney in the hope of a big run from Consensus in the Gr.1 A$1 million Coolmore Legacy Stakes (1600m).

"Unfortunately she's got the outside draw (19), which is going to make it hard for her, but you can't worry about that now," Stephen McKee said.

"She's going to get a better track than last weekend and that'll help."

McKee said the Consensus camp did consider a tilt at the Gr.1 A$4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), but that would have meant another clash with the champion Winx.

"She raced in it last year and ran quite well (for sixth), but she'd be running for second or third at best with Winx in it again," McKee said.

"At the end of the day it's best to have a chance of winning a race than running a placing.

"This (the Coolmore Legacy Stakes) is the race we decided on after Moonee Valley and she has travelled up well from Melbourne and settled in well.

"She's in the same barn she was when she was there last year."

Consensus has had Group One success in Ellerslie's 2016 Zabeel Classic (2000m) and, though she has continued to boost her value with more wins, a Group One victory in Australia would escalate her broodmare worth immensely.

The daughter of Postponed has won 11 of her 54 starts and is closing in on $1m in prize money and there is no doubt she is in prime form to take on a high-class field today.

She has won three of her last four starts and, after her wins in the Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2100m) and the Gr.3 Taranaki Cup (1800m), she stepped back up to Gr.1 level and finished a gallant third to Melody Belle in the Haunui Farm WFA Group One Classic (1600m) at Otaki.

Taken to Melbourne, she continued her top form with a next-up strong win in a most appropriate race for the McKee family, the Gr.2 Sunline Stakes (1600m), at Moonee Valley last month.

Ex-Kiwi hoop Michael Walker was aboard for the Melbourne triumph and he has been given the task of allowing Consensus her best chance from the outside draw today.

McKee will be staying on in Sydney to saddle up another stable runner, Maktoum, at Warwick Farm next Wednesday.

Maktoum, a four-year-old son of Makfi, has been freshened since he won two starts ago over 1500m at Ellerslie then finished third over the same course and distance on Boxing Day.

"He'll run on Wednesday in a Benchmark 74 1400m worth A$50,000 and if he goes well there's a race worth A$130,000 at Randwick 10 days later for him," McKee said.

McKee's local representatives over the weekend include last-start winner Lucky Sweep and Passing Shot, who followed up a win at Hastings with a fourth to Volks Lightning in the Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham.

- NZ Racing Desk