Cup win for workhorse

By Brad Kingsbury
CRANBOURNE trainer Ken Keys described Sunday’s cup win by Blue Collar Jack as a triumph of friendship and family after his honest galloper weaved its way through a classy field to snatch victory in the last stride of the day’s feature race.
Keys’ win made it back-to-back cups for Cranbourne trained horses after Show Barry took out the 2005 race and the crowd reaction was euphoric as jockey Chris Symons brought the five-year old gelding back to scale.
Blue Collar Jack, an $18 chance, downed $31 outsider Octrivia which led from the start, by a nose, with $6 equal favourite Professional Lady an unlucky half head away in third place.
The other main fancies Atapi and Ulysses finished well down the order in the 15-horse field, while the other locally prepared runners in the field Art Success, Natural Blitz and Correct Amoondo were also unplaced.
Blue Collar Jack jumped from barrier 12 and jockey Chris Symons made the decision to hunt up and try to get a sit near the lead before the first turn.
He said afterwards the plan panned out well.
“The pace was perfect and I landed in the one-one spot that Kenny and I were praying for,” he said.
“We had to make a move early at about the 600 (metre mark) because he’s a horse that has to go through his gears. He worked to the line really well.”
It was Symons’ biggest race win and Keys was full of praise for the way he handled the horse.
“With gate 12 we had no option but to push forward. Chris made a really good decision out of the straight (the first time) and just came back on him a little bit. It was a really nice ride,” Keys he said.
Keys has been training out of Cranbourne for more than two decades and he was swamped with congratulations by fellow home track mentors including Robbie Laing, Jean Purcell and Doug Harrison after wards.
“I’ve been in Cranbourne for 22 years and tried a couple of other times,” Keys said in the post-race euphoria. “I didn’t think it was that important but I am more of a Cranbourne boy than I realised.
“He’s always been a horse on the up and we’ve had a few maturity problems over time but he did the job today.”
Keys paid tribute to the horse’s owners who are great friends of his family and have been associated with his stable for many years.
“He’s bred by my best friends in the world in Laurie Owens and his brother Rob. No one could have better supporters over 20 years and this is the success they deserve.”
Natural Blitz’s trainer Doug Harrison was happy for Keys and said under the circumstances, his horse’s effort had been good.
“It was a pretty good run really,” he said.
“He got too far back, especially on this track, but he came home well. We’ll push on towards the Geelong Cup now providing that he pulls up okay.”