Racing: Old fella well up to task

Veteran King Keitel faces a much harder task at Tauranga tomorrow than when he won at Te Rapa last start.

But that's okay - trackwork rider Sean Dowling has advised raceday jockey Andrew Calder that the old fella is improving.

"Sean has called to say King Keitel feels stronger in his work than before Te Rapa," said Calder yesterday.

Carrying 58kg topweight against Millnorm, All's Well and Tantalic will not be easy, but Calder loves King Keitel and won't accept that he can't take the $50,000 Carter Holt Packaging Cup.

The prospect of a heavy track doesn't worry him.

"The track was only officially soft at Te Rapa last start, but it was out of character for that course and really wasn't racing all that well.

"I'd say that, if anything, he'd appreciate a heavy track rather than a better surface from now on."

King Keitel has one element missing in many winter gallopers - sheer class.

He was hooked up behind horses for a good portion of the home straight at Te Rapa and even when he worked into the clear it appeared he did not have the necessary go-forward to win.

Then he remembered who he was and drove past them.

"He's a terrific horse," said Calder. "A big plus is that he has drawn the outside. He'll be able to drop back and come around them from the 800m.

"Another factor in his favour is that he's used to carrying big weights, which is significant in these sorts of races. All's Well is a really smart galloper, but he hasn't got experience under big weights."