Keep The Message has a remarkable record racing against some smart horses.
There is talent and form in tomorrow's $60,000 Cambridge Clothing Interprovincial at New Plymouth, but nothing that would faze some of the opposition Keep The Message has faced and beaten.
The Te Rapa gelding loves rain-affectedtracks. Last start on dead footing he was beaten a nose by Crossthestart, a relative newcomer, but a horse that has impressed greatly in just a few starts.
In his previous campaign he finished second to talented Elblitzem at Tauranga last June. Before that he'd beaten Giovanni at Ellerslie, finished third to Hamlets Ghost and Elblitzem at Rotorua, and on a track that was too firm finished a great third to Jazzella and Electrostatic at Te Rapa in very fast time.
On this New Plymouth track, on unsuitable fast footing, he was good enough to finish second to Antipodean in a flying 1.34 for 1600m.
And who could forget his 2.8-length victory in the Ryder Stakes as a 2-year-old?
He was five and six wide on the home bend and ran away to score by just short of three lengths.
All that adds up to Keep The Message running a big race on the rain-affected track tomorrow.
Michael Walker has the ride and with two starts this preparation behind him, he will be in the fight.
Jowka keeps surprising. He doesn't do anything spectacularly well, but he keeps producing.
His two wins before his luckless sixth to stablemate Shamrock Star at Awapuni last start were first class.
What impresses about Jowka is his toughness. He can sustain a long sprint and that's the type of horse required for the conditions tomorrow.
He failed to get complete clear air at Awapuni and that open field was a fair bit stronger than this line-up.
Leebrearne was hugely stylish in getting clear to win well at Trentham last start. Shannon Doyle rode him cleverly in front, essentially giving nothing else a look in.
