Rain to liking of Keep The Courage

Wingatui-based apprentice Sha Wahab salutes the judge after riding Keep The Courage to his first...
Wingatui-based apprentice Sha Wahab salutes the judge after riding Keep The Courage to his first riding victory in New Zealand. Photo: Jonny Turner.
If racegoers strike a rainy day at summer race meetings, there could be a silver lining in equine form  — Riverton galloper Keep The Courage.

Racing fans who line up for sun with chilly bins, sunglasses and sunscreen and are greeted by rain could brighten their day by getting a return on the Kelvin Tyler-trained gelding.

According to Tyler, it is when the 8yr-old is at his best.

"Rain on the day helps. I know it wasn’t loose, but he’s a different horse with rain on the day."

Rain sprinkled the Wingatui course before yesterday’s meeting, which led to a track downgrade before Keep The Courage contested race 2.

The 8yr-old scored decisively over his rating 75 rivals yesterday over 2200m.

Along with the track conditions, the Keeper gelding also appreciated a good drop in grade from racing in open handicap and premier conditions in his previous two starts.

"He’s a fair enough horse when he is right. To be fair he was a little bit disappointing last start at Cromwell, but he ran a good race on the first day at Riccarton. I was really happy with him that day."

Keep The Courage provided jockey Sha Wahab with his first New Zealand winner, since arriving here in June. The 24-year-old had previously won one race when riding in Singapore. He is  based at Wingatui, with trainer Terry Kennedy.

The apprentice rode exactly to Keep The Courage’s liking.

"You’ve just got to ride him a little bit colder and let him find his feet and come into it late and this is what he did," Tyler said.

Exactly which summer race meeting to look out for Keep The Courage at was yet to be planned, but the gelding could be sighted at Gore on December 18.

"There’s a nice race coming race up at Gore, a rating 75."

Tyler’s other winner, Tiger Claws, may not be a fan of rain.

That sounds ominous for his future rivals, given he scored in officially showery conditions on yesterday’s dead6 track.

Tyler thinks Tiger Claws could better on drier tracks.

"He certainly shows a bit. He just needs a better track, I think. He might be better [on drier tracks]."

The Riverton trainer races the horse himself after selecting him from a tried racehorse sale at Karaka.

"I just bought him six months ago," he said.

- Jonny Turner

Add a Comment