Albury preview: Trainer Tim Donnelly hoping the country environment is the key for Black Caviar’s grandson

Black Caviar’s firstborn grandson Keysborough will make his ‘debut’ as a Riverina resident when he steps out over 900m at Albury.

Keysborough has his first start for new trainer Tim Donnelly at Albury. Picture: Bradley Photos

Albury will get a taste of Black Caviar when her first born grandson Keysborough steps out under new management.

A five-year-old son of I Am Invincible, Keysborough is the first foal of Oscietra who happened to be the first foal of the unbeaten champion Black Caviar.

The now Wagga resident Keysborough had his first 11 starts for Team Hawkes.

His twelfth will be for 1998 George Ryder Stakes-winning trainer, Tim Donnelly.

“The owners and myself are just hoping that with being out of Rosehill or Flemington where he’s been trained before, somewhere a little bit quieter might get the best out of him,” Donnelly said.

“I have only had him for two weeks.”

That was his race!

Keysborough with a strong finish from @WyongRaceClub! @[e-mail]/qTXQMVB994

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 11, 2024

Donnelly has found an ideal, if not in fact perfect, race for Keysborough to add to his tally, that being the Stuart Landscaping Benchmark 58 Handicap over 900m.

“He’s a hard going horse,” Donnelly said.

“A 1000m is probably as far as he will go, although I spoke to Koby Jennings about him and he reckons he will eventually get 1200m.”

While on paper, Keysborough has so much going for him, barrier 12 brings him back to the field somewhat but Donnelly won’t be using that as an excuse in the event he is beaten.

“I would have preferred to draw well but it is a straight run to the home-turn,” he said.

“It’s not a disadvantage, you are not going to cover ground. He’ll be in the first two or three.”

Keysborough’s last run for Team Hawkes was a fading fifth in a 1000m race on the southern side of the New South Wales border.

“He ran okay at Seymour the other day,” Donnelly said.

“It is a drop back in grade I would think even though that was a 58 and so is this, but Seymour was Cup Day and I think a couple of winners have come out of it already.”

Donnelly will join forces with jockey Mathew Cahill in the previous race when the lightly-raced Taumata pursues the Pogson Cronin Kerr Solicitors Class 1 & Maiden Plate (1600m).

The New Zealand-bred gelding was sold at Karaka as a yearling for $60,000 in 2021.

Taumata (blue, orange) is chasing his second career win at Albury. Picture: Bradley Photos

He was offered again at the same venue as a Ready 2 Race two-year-old where Donnelly picked him up for $160,000.

It wasn’t until April in 2024 was Donnelly able to test the son of Satono Aladdin out under race conditions.

“He actually did his tendon twice,” Donnelly revealed.

“Generally after they’ve done them twice, that’s it, but because he hadn’t raced and I liked him, I thought we would give him a try.

“We’ve got a treadmill now out at the property that I spell him and that’s been a big help with his rehab plus also he does quite a bit of work out there in between runs.”

Donnelly and connections have had their patience and perseverance paid back with one win so far with the potential for another victory this week.

“At least he has drawn well on Friday,” the trainer said. “He has drawn poorly at his last two starts.

“He’ll race a bit closer and I would think instead of the second half of the field, he’ll be in the first half.”

LITTLE PROPHET AFTER REDEMPTION IN KEMPSEY CUP

This time last year, Little Prophet finished runner-up in the Kempsey Cup.

This time next year, Little Prophet will (hopefully) be safely in foal to trainer/studmaster Colt Prosser’s stallion, Vilified, the half-brother to Yes Yes Yes.

Her presence on this day will once again be at the same track where the daughter of Divine Prophet lines-up in her second, and final, Kempsey Cup.

Not that it has all gone to plan though.

“I took her to Grafton last week and she got kicked in the trailer by my pony,” Prosser said.

“I had to scratch her but it was only a couple of nicks on her back legs but it was enough for the vet to pull her out.

“That was supposed to be her tune-up run for the Kempsey Cup because I just find she goes better on a back-up. It just takes that little bit of pre-race rubbish out of her, she just behaves herself better.

Little Prophet gets the head down right where it counts! pic.twitter.com/E32PUey9yW

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 31, 2023

“She won’t get that now but she is still working great. She scoots around Kempsey really well.

“She has drawn 10 out of 11,” Prosser lamented. “If you drew 2, 3 or 4, you’re laughing at Kempsey but unfortunately we are just going to need a little bit of luck now.”

Prosser stands a genuine chance of being able to claim both of Kempsey’s features with the wildly in-form Dis is Heaven to contest the Steve Keir Memorial Benchmark 66 Handicap (1000m).

The son of Australian Horse of the Year, Dissident, added his name to the one of five Prosser-trained winners from his last 11 starters when successful at Port Macquarie on October 27.

“He is going along really, he was just unlucky a few times due to the barriers,” Prosser explained.

“He was able to overcome barrier 9 of 10 at Port but unfortunately he’s drawn another wide one at Kempsey.

“He went around in a pretty good field the other day and he blew them away so he’s going great.

“He contested some good Highways. He wasn’t far away from the horse that won The Barn Dance (Gallant Star) one day.

“He is still a work in progress. I find the Dissident’s take a bit of time to come good.”

Prosser’s final runner on the card is Dodgeball who won his most recent outing at Armidale at $61.

Originally published as Albury preview: Trainer Tim Donnelly hoping the country environment is the key for Black Caviar’s grandson