Tasmanian trainer John Keys might feel out of his comfort zone having a runner in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick, but he has no such fears about his horse.
The Inevitable is the early $7 favourite for Saturday’s $1.5 million race and as a 16-time winner and All-Star Mile placegetter who finished a slashing second to Golden Mile in the Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) last start, the gelding boasts all the right credentials.
But Keys understandably has mixed emotions about Saturday’s race.
The horse was under the care of his daughter, fellow trainer Tegan Keys, however her visiting trainer permit was revoked last week when she failed to comply with a direction from Racing NSW stewards and was later suspended for four months.
Permission was subsequently given for The Inevitable to be transferred to John, so while the circumstances weren’t ideal, he remained determined to get the gelding to the race in the best possible condition.
“I’m the nineteenth man straight off the bench,” Keys said.
“I might be out of my depth, but the horse is definitely not.
“We’re staying out at Bong Bong Farm. All seems good, we galloped him (Tuesday) morning on the hill track there and he seemed to do it well.
“It was a super run last start and he drops a couple of kilos so that’s only going to help.”
The Keys family has been involved in Tasmanian racing for several generations and if The Inevitable can salute in the Epsom, he will be John’s first Group 1 winner.
He has drawn well in barrier eight and will be ridden by David Pires, his regular jockey in Tasmania last campaign who was also aboard for the eight-year-old’s outstanding third behind Mr Brightside in the All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley in March.
Pires is a newcomer to Sydney racing but rather than be overawed, he is embracing the challenge.
“It’s my first time at Randwick and I’m very excited to be here,” Pires said.
“You saw what the horse did in the Theo Marks and stepping up to the mile on Saturday, hopefully he can finish off like he did in the Theo Marks.”
