Former Kiwi Keto makes switch across the Tasman

The Neatline Homes Shepparton Pacing Cup is one of the major country features of the year, attracting quality horses from across the state and even into New South Wales. 

However, sometimes it’s the horses taking part in the supporting races that catch the eye as being exciting prospects. 

Former New Zealander Keto is certainly one to get excited about ahead of his Australian debut in tomorrow night’s Graham Head Memorial 3YO Pace. 

“I think he’s a pretty nice horse, but it’s a big ask for him first-up. I think he will handle it pretty well,” driver Mark Pitt, who prepares the horse alongside wife and trainer Lisa, said. 

Keto had one trial in Australia earlier this month at Shepparton and made a blistering move in the back straight to win impressively with Nathan Jack in the sulky. 

“Nathan’s report was that he was really happy with him. We think he’s a pretty nice horse. It’s just one of those things. He’s still learning the caper, but when he works it out, we are hoping he is a Derby horse. 

“He’s quite a big horse and a very good pacer. He seems to have a lot of strength and just off his trial, it seems like he’s going to have a lot of speed as well. I think he’s going to be quite a versatile type of horse.” 

The son of Sweet Lou looked to be a strong type in his one prior run in New Zealand. On this occasion, he left the gate well, did early work and still found the line to win. 

Pitt is under the impression, based on his New Zealand performance and trackwork at home, that Keto is going to have good gate speed, a skill that not all ex-New Zealand pacers have. 

“The way we work them at home, we get a bit of a guide on their gate speed, and he feels like he’s going to have a lot of gate speed… but we will find out more after his runs,” the Girgarre-based reinsman said. 

Pitt will also take the steer on Hurricane Harley in tomorrow night’s Shepparton Pacing Cup after the pair finished third in the Bendigo Pacing Cup last Saturday. 

“I thought he couldn’t have run any better from the position he was in. He wasn’t entitled to make ground, but personally I felt like he was making up ground,” Pitt said. 

“He hadn’t had a run for seven weeks, so I was super happy with him. I think leading into Shepparton he is going to be better again.”