KEY POINTS:
Not even a bottomless faith in Katy Keen can get owner-trainer Stu Manning confident about the mare's chances in tomorrow's $65,000 First Sovereign Rotorua Plate at Tauranga.
Manning is put off by what he describes as a mystifying run when Katy Keen could beat only three runners home
in the $2 million Kelt Capital Stakes last start.
"It was a bugger of a run for her, and not just because of where she finished - everything she did was upside down," he said yesterday.
"I'm not for a minute suggesting it was a bad ride, it wasn't ... but what makes this mare so good is that she can relax. She never relaxed at any point of the Kelt.
"She had to work into the first bend from an awkward gate and she was having to improve her position the whole way.
"It was niggle, niggle all the way, which is right against the way she races."
But what that indicates is a mystery to Manning.
"I guess the only way we're going to know where she is at is to run in this race."
Since the Kelt, Manning has been unable to find anything amiss with Katy Keen, winner of 10 of her 21 races.
"Physically, she looks an absolute picture," he said.
The other concern Manning has is the Tauranga track - the one he reckons he's jinxed on.
"I know she won the Rotorua Cup on this track, but Tauranga is the one place I've been jinxed at all my life."
On paper Katy Keen's task with clear topweight of 58kg looks daunting, but she is a very classy mare.
And Manning sees one positive - he has stablemate Diamondsareforever engaged.
"He'll probably make the pace as usual and it should make it a genuine race, which will probably help Katy Keen's chances."
Ginga Dude receives 4kg from Katy Keen and that puts him right in the race.
He has improved with each of the three runs he's had this campaign and his ninth behind Princess Coup in the Kelt Capital was one of the better runs in the race.
He got back, worked into the clear late then really found the line strongly in his first middle distance race this time in.
Ginga Dude is unbeaten in two appearances at Tauranga.
* Magic Tryst's job in the $65,000 Lion Red Plate (1200m) was made easier with the news yesterday that one of the main chances, Crossyourheart, will not run.
Magic Tryst's brilliance won her the last two appearances she made before spelling in January and she showed she has come back well with a recent seven-length barrier trial victory at Avondale.