Newcastle preview: Allan Kehoe's trio to prove the real ‘Deel'

Daily Telegraph

25-05-2025

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Trainer Allan Kehoe is hoping the Newcastle track's ability to handle rain and still be suitable to race comes to the fore.
Kehoe has three horses engaged this weekend with two proven heavy track performers in Dreamdeel and One Kind while he is confident his third runner, The Rookie, will get through it as well.
Six-year-old gelding Dreamdeel has been a model of consistency for the stable and returned this campaign in fine order with two good runs before a blip at Newcastle where he only beat one home behind Fiftyfivechevy.
He bounced back in the best possible way with a win over Ocean Diva at Gosford on April 25.
'Every campaign he turns up and does a good job,' said Kehoe.
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'He might put in a couple of shockers when he's had enough but you put him away to refresh and he goes again.
'If you take away the Newcastle run the start before where he had a bit of bad luck and we probably gassed him from the wide gate, his other three runs this preparation have been right on the mark.
'The form out of the Gosford race has stood up with the fourth horse, Rotagilla, winning on the Kensington last week and we beat it by three lengths while Ocean Diva won at Hawkesbury the next day.'
The son of Dundeel lines up in the Benchmark 68 Handicap (1850m) with apprentice Mitch Stapleford to ride him again.
'The way he acting around the stables, he is ready to bounce again,' Kehoe said.
'He has a win and two seconds from four starts at the track and distance.
'Mitch rode him very well the other day and will ride him again.
'His three kilo claim brings the horse right into this race.'
One Kind is knocking on the door after third placings at each of her three runs this time in and Kehoe expects her to play a major role in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (900m).
Following her first-up run behind Insist at Newcastle, she was beaten a neck by Dis Is Heaven at Tuncurry and a similar margin by Are Ee Que at Wyong after tough runs at her last two starts.
'She probably should have won her last two starts. She was just beaten on the line and has had no luck,' said Kehoe.
'At Tuncurry, she drew a wide gate and was no closer than five-deep the whole way and was beaten a neck. She was the only horse hitting the line.
'We walked away thinking she is flying this preparation.
'Then a Wyong, the same thing happened. The leader stacked them up and she travelled very wide again and was still only beaten on the line.'
The daughter of Sebring Sun has drawn out in gate 12 but Kehoe isn't worried by the wide draw.
'Over the 900m at Newcastle, she is better off drawn wide,' he said.
'On a wet track, I'm certain everyone will want to come wide anyway. I think the gate is a plus for her.'
Kehoe's other runner is The Rookie in the Midway 2YO Maiden Plate (900m).
The daughter of Pierro won her Wyong trial on a heavy track in good fashion on April 24 before a fourth-up fourth to Yes Siree here on May 1.
'I probably got it wrong by running her at Wyong. I should have been going into this race first-up,' he said.
'On the positive side, it tightened her up and gave her a bit more race experience.
'I think we will see her really run through the line. I've got a big opinion of her.'