Impressive return for Wai Key Wee

Trotter Wai Key Wee (The Pres) has been away from the races for three months so all credit for his successful return to the harness racing winner’s circle today (Sep. 2) at Ascot Park must go to Alister Black.

Driven by Brad Williamson and starting off twenty metres, Wai Key Wee settled in the second half of the field. At the 375 metre mark Williamson sent him forward. He trucked into the race nicely and once balanced, jogged home to win by a length and a quarter from favourite Abby May.

WAI KEY WEE REPLAY

“After his last start he picked up a really bad cold, so we had to stop and regroup,” Black said after the five year old’s win.

Prior to today’s start Black had given the horse just one workout at Winton on 19^th August.

“That workout was very very poor so I took his blood which came back perfect. We took him up to Winton last Saturday and his work was tremendous so I put the workout down to just a bad day, which he can have.”

Wai Key Wee looked promising early on in his short career, winning his first two starts before the wheels came off.

“I don’t know what happened there. He just into some bad habits and just wanted to break. I think he’s over that now.”

Black says Wai Key Wee has a personality of his own and can be prone to injuring himself.

“He can escape out of his paddock, undo tapes and gates.”

Black will now map the plan for The Pres gelding which will include starting in the Spring RATTO Final at the Tuapeka meeting late October.

“If he keeps going the way he is we might even take him to Cup Week. As long as he’s not too highly rated.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart