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Wayne Keenan will be enjoying the best of both racing worlds with his progressive stayer O’Ceirins Secret in the New Year.
The Wanganui-based breeder of the five-year-old had been looking at Australian options for the gelding before finalising a deal that will see him retain a significant interest in the gelding’s future overseas career.
The winner of four of his 15 starts from Sandie Cookson’s Foxton stable, O'Ceirins Secret will shortly depart for Melbourne.“I’ve retained 50 per cent of him and sold the other half to clients of Luke Oliver’s stable,” Keenan said. “I’d have loved to have kept all of him, but the money was too good.
“Sandie and I had discussed going over there with him anyway – there’s a lot of two mile and staying races for him. He loves good going and he’ll get that in Australia.”O’Ceirins Secret won over ground at Hastings and Woodville in the spring before a last-ditch effort to make the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup field came up short when he finished sixth in the Listed Metropolitan Trophy.
The son of Postponed subsequently finished fourth in the Rating 85 event on cup day.“He’s a really good stayer, but nothing went right for him at Christchurch with foot problems,” Keenan said.
“He had three weeks in the paddock after that and he did too well so he went back to Sandie. He’ll have done 14 days’ work before he goes to Australia.“Mr O’Ceirin went really well over there for me and this is by far a better horse.”
Mr O’Ceirin won twice for Keenan and Cookson before his sale to Melbourne interests and he has since won a further eight races, including the Gr.3 Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield.Keenan also moved into the stallion business this year and was delighted with the 40 mares served by his Grangewilliam Stud-based Dial A Prayer. He is an unraced son of Pins and the dual Group Three winner O’Ceirins Angel.