Wentworth Park glory for Sooty Keeping in The Collerson
Sooty Keeping delivered a stellar performance to capture The Collerson at Wentworth Park, surging to a commanding 3.5-length victory in 29.47 seconds.
The Charmaine Roberts-trained black bitch capitalised on a fortuitous run early to claim the $15,000 top prize in the 520m feature race.
Breaking moderately from box three as the $3.30 PlayUp favourite, Sooty Keeping quickly recovered, taking advantage of early congestion to sprint around the outside and seize control.
From there, she never looked back, pulling clear in the final stages. Both Bowers Ace ran a strong second, while Sinaloa Girl finished third, 5.75 lengths behind the winner. Ayden’s Warrior rounded out the top four.
The Collerson Race Replay – Sooty Keeping (29.47)
Post-race, handler Shayne Stiff expressed his delight with Sooty Keeping’s breakthrough win.
“It was a great race to win,” Stiff said.
“Tonight was about stepping up for her, and she did. She needed to stand up, and she ran a 29.5, which is what you’ve got to do in a race like this against seven very good dogs.”
Stiff also credited Roberts and her team for their careful management of the two-year-old chaser.
“Charmaine’s been patient with her,” he said.
“She’s lightly raced, but she’s starting to show what she’s capable of. It’s just about poking along and letting her tell us where she’s at. Hopefully, she holds together, and with a bit of luck, there’s plenty more to come.”
The victory adds to an already promising career for Sooty Keeping, who now boasts eight wins and four placings from 16 starts.
Her 50% win rate and 88% place rate underscore her consistency and potential.
Looking ahead, Stiff hinted at possible targets, including upcoming futurity events.
“The futurity is in two or three weeks, so that’s an option,” he said.
“We’ll see how she pulls up, but she’s just turned two, so there’s no rush. The key is to keep her sound and let her grow into these opportunities.”
The Collerson win also carried sentimental value for Stiff, who praised the race’s namesake.
“Jeff Collerson was a legend of the sport, and it’s an honour to win a race in his name,” he said.
“It’s not always about the money—it’s about winning these nice races.”
Both Bowers Ace, trained by Melinda Finn, delivered another honest performance to finish second, while Sinaloa Girl, a standout from the Hayley Gilbert kennel, showcased her early pace and held on for third.
The Collerson 2024 Results – Wentworth Park
2024 The Collerson ResultsWentworth Park 520m Listed $15,000 to-the-winner Saturday, December 21, 2024
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| 1st |
3 Sooty Keeping
T: Charmaine RobertsTime: 29.47Margin:
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| 2nd |
8 Both Bowers Ace
T: Melinda FinnTime: 29.69Margin: 3 Lengths
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| 3rd |
10 Shinaloa Girl (Box 4)
T: Hayley GilbertTime: 29.87Margin: 5.75 Lengths
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| 4th |
9 Ayden’s Warrior (Box 7)
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| 5th |
5 Make No Promise
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| 6th |
6 Midnight Spritz
T: Jodie LordTime: 30.11Margin: 9.25 Lengths
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| 7th |
1 Omega Travis
T: Jodie LordTime: 30.18Margin: 10 Lengths
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| 8th |
2 History’s Coming
T: Tomas ReesTime: 30.31Margin: 12 Lengths
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