Roberts’ Sooty Keeping wins Group 2 Richmond Oaks in 29.37
Sooty Keeping delivered a brilliant performance to claim the Group 2 Richmond Oaks at Richmond, showcasing her tenacity and strength in the 520m final with a dominant 29.37 victory.
Jumping well but settling behind early leader Sweet Bee, Sooty Keeping tracked the pace before making her move down the back straight as the $2.50 bookmaker favourite.
Despite Sweet Bee’s resilience, Sooty Keeping surged to the front approaching the final turn, holding off a late challenge from her sister, Rema’s Amethyst, to score by one and a half lengths. Sweet Bee finished third in a photo for minor placings.
The victory was a significant moment for trainer and owner Charmaine Roberts, as Sooty Keeping secured her maiden Group success.
The win was also an emotional one, with Roberts’ uncle, 88-year-old Eddie Foyle, breeding both the winner and runner-up from his talented dam Remas Jade.
Group 2 Richmond Oaks Race Replay – Sooty Keeping (29.37)
Post-race, Roberts reflected on the thrilling result, acknowledging the talent and persistence of her greyhound.
“When she missed the kick again, I said, ‘Oh my god, not again.’ But she just kept pushing forward, found her way to the front, and did what she does best,” Roberts said.
Sooty Keeping’s consistency over the 520m distance has been remarkable, now boasting four wins from six attempts at Richmond.
Her ability to recover from tricky positions and finish strongly underlines her potential for future feature races.
The Richmond Oaks triumph adds another highlight to what has been a memorable few months for Roberts, who was recently named GRNSW Volunteer of the Year.
With a Group 1 National Futurity victory as the owner of Laura Keeping and now a Group 2 title as a trainer, Roberts continues to solidify her standing in greyhound racing.
Sooty Keeping now looks set for bigger challenges ahead, with Neds Bookmaker pricing her as a $26 hope to win the Group 1 Golden Easter Egg.
2025 Richmond Oaks Final Results
2025 Richmond Oaks Final ResultsRichmond 520m Group 2 $40,000 to-the-winner Friday, February 28, 2025
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| 1st |
2 Sooty Keeping
T: Charmaine RobertsTime: 29.37Margin:
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| 2nd |
8 Rema’s Amethyst
T: Edward FoyleTime: 29.48Margin: 1.50 Lengths
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| 3rd |
1 Sweet Bee
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| 4th |
5 Tulsi Banner
T: Barry GibbonsTime: 29.67Margin: 4.13 Lengths
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| 5th |
4 Laura Keeping
T: Jay OpetaiaTime: 29.70Margin: 4.63 Lengths
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6th |
3 Speedy Pie
T: Jason MagriTime: 29.80Margin: 6.13 Lengths
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| 7th |
6 Miss Zig Zag
T: Sydney SwainTime: 29.82Margin: 6.25 Lengths
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| 8th |
7 Mia Magnifico
T: Neville BrownTime: 30.04Margin: 9.50 Lengths
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