Emotions will flow if Mick Mair's last winner is successful at Ipswich

By Glenn Davis

Emotions will flow freely if five-year-old Keeta wins the Class 4 Handicap at Ipswich on Wednesday.

Keeta is trained by Belinda Mair, wife of Group 1-winning trainer Mick Mair, who lost a long battle with cancer last month.

A multiple premiership winner, Mair passed away on October 20, aged 74.

He originally trained at Warwick Farm in Sydney before moving to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast 40 years go.

Mair was famous for his jokes and one liners and trained a host of top sprinters and stayers including cult hero Burglar Of Bamff, Kidman’s Cove and Swiss Ace.

Swiss Ace won 12 of his 20 starts including the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield in 2019 and now has a race - the Swiss Ace Plate – named in his honour on Mooloolaba Cup day on November 19.

Belinda Mair helped her late husband around the stables for more than 20 years but was more hands over the past 12 months while her husband was ill.

She saddled her first runners at the Sunshine Coast in recent weeks following Mick's 

Keeta was the last winner for Mick Mair when the gelding won at the Sunshine Coast on October 2.

Since then, Keeta beat only two home when 10th to the Barry Lockwood-trained Deep Rouge in a 1000 metre Class 3 at Eagle Farm on October 15.

Keeta is part owned by Belinda Mair and Mary Bell, wife of Brisbane Racing Club Chairman Neville Bell.

Keeta’s mother Bevagna was trained by Mick Mair, winning seven of her 24 starts, before heading to the broodmare barn.

His sire, Chosen Fly, was originally trained by Mair, winning five times as a two and three-year-old before being transferred to Colin and Cindy Alderson in Victoria.

He was retired to Bell’s Kilto Park stud near Caboolture in 2013.

Belinda is hopeful Keeta can win for her late husband and close friends, the Bell family.

“He’s down in weight and it’s a hard race but hopefully he can win,” Belinda said.

“We bred Keeta and it would be nice to see him win for Mick and Neville, who were very close friends.”