11 Aug 2008
The Group 1 winning Keeper three-year-old fillies,
Insouciant and
Keepa Cruisin, will go head-to-head in a new season clash at Wednesday's Taupo race-meeting in the Haunui Farm Stallions (1200m).
The pair are making their first race-day appearance of the 2008/09 season and will attract plenty of attention from punters looking to assess their early season prospects.
Last season Insouciant was the winner of the Group 1 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas at Riccarton and she also took out the 2007/08 New Zealand Bloodstock Of The Year series.
Her trainer, Mark Walker, has given her two trials before taking her to the races. Insouciant won a trial at Cambridge last month and then finished second behind class stablemate Princess Coup in a trial at Te Teko last week.
Keepa Cruisin is from Stephen McKee's Ardmore stable. Her Group 1 victory last season was recorded in the Levin Classic at Otaki racetrack.
Insouciant and Keepa Cruisin are among five individual stakes winners produced to date by Cambridge Stud-based sire Keeper, a Group 1 winning son of Danehill.
Insouciant is currently the equal favourite for the Group 1 $250,000 Mudgway Partsworld Stakes (1400m) at Hastings on August 30 being quoted at $6 on the New Zealand TAB's fixed odds market.
Keepa Cruisin is also entered for the Mudgway Stakes and is quoted at $14 on the TAB's betting market.