KEY POINTS:
Stephen McKee knows he holds more than one trump card with Keepa Cruisin in tomorrow's Mudgway Stakes.
The first advantage is her handy No 2 barrier draw.
The second is that the biggest tip for the raceday is that there will be a fast inside lane for the programme on five metres of new ground.
From her gate, Keepa Cruisin should find the rail and needs only to get through a gap somewhere near the home bend or early in the home straight to be in contention where it matters.
The third advantage is the Ardmore trainer has been able to work a race into the mare this preparation.
Keepa Cruisin brings good form stats from last season into this race.
She beat the colts and geldings in the group one $240,000 Levin Classic and probably should have won the group one $220,000 NZ Bloodstock Breeders Stakes at Te Aroha when beaten two half heads.
The first-up third under 59kg at Taupo was a real eye-catcher when she was taking ground off Mufhasa and Run Like Al.
"As you'd expect, she's improved with that Taupo run," said Stephen McKee yesterday.
McKee also has Ististar engaged. She could finish only sixth behind Jacowils when resuming in the Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa, but that race turned into a sprint home and back-runner Ististar had no chance.
Barrier trials at Te Teko have thrown some light on the early-season progress of many Mudgway runners.
Prince Kaapstad looked impressive winning his trial by three lengths and Sterling Prince looked just as good when second to Nom Du Jeu.
Martini Red finished out of a place at Te Teko, but the top was coming off the track and she is probably going to prefer the footing she strikes this time.
* The Diamond Deck camp missed by three days getting the high-class mare back to the races.
She yesterday underwent surgery to remove bone chips from a fetlock joint 11 months after going amiss following her winning run at Hastings last September.
She was to have resumed at either Hastings or Tauranga tomorrow.
