By Glenn Davis
Trainer Toby Edmonds wants to see new stable acquisition Keen Array rediscover some of his best form at Doomben on Saturday before plotting a Brisbane winter carnival course.
Former Victorian Keen Array will have his first start for Edmonds when the gelding lines-up in the Listed Ascot Handicap (1200m).
Keen Array was sent north to Edmonds’ Gold Coast stables after winning seven of his 35 starts for the training partnership of David Hayes, Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig.
The six-year-old hasn’t raced since finishing seventh at Flemington in mid-December but has been fitted up for his Queensland debut with two barrier trials at the Gold Coast.
In his first trial, Keen Array finished third over 1000 metres before beating highly rated stablemate Whypeeo in another 1000-metre hit out on his home track on April 8.
“He’s a Group 2 winner in the Gilgai Stakes at Flemington but he’s been down on form since then,” Edmonds said.
“His form is terrible and at this stage I’ve got no plans for him in the winter.
“But if he could reproduce the form he was in when he won the Gilgai Stakes then this race could open a few doors for him later on.
“On his day he’s a very sharp sprinter.”
Keen Array’s last win was in the Gilgai Stakes in 2017 and is a winner of three Listed races in the Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield in 2015 as well as the Testa Rossa Stakes and Caulfield Village Stakes at Caulfield in 2016.
The son of Bel Esprit also ran second in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington in 2015.
Edmonds also accepted with tough five-year-old Tyzone in the Ascot Handicap but has elected to start him in Saturday’s Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
Tyzone has developed into an iron-horse under Edmonds’ care winning four of his 10 starts since transferring from Atherton trainer Roy Chillemi.
Tyzone won the Listed Goldmarket Handicap before producing an eye-catching performance to finish fourth to the Chris Waller-trained Sexy Eyes in the Listed Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba on April 6.
Racing Queensland webnews April 18