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LOCALLY-trained pacer Keayang Cullen will go into tonight’s Terang Pacing Cup as one of the leading chances.
The Ecklin South-trained five-year-old enters tonight’s feature with a picket fence beside his name, with four consecutive wins.
He is second favourite in pre-post markets, behind New Zealand-bred Mustang March.
His driver Glen Craven will have to negate barrier 10 but he is confident that he has the horse to do it.
“He has been more versatile this time in,” he said.
“His best asset is his gate speed which we won’t be able to use from the second line, but two starts ago at the Terang meeting at Tabcorp (Park) he came from back in the field in a quick last half.
“He should be up there against these ones.”
Craven has driven Keayang Cullen in each of his 28 starts, and trainer Marg Lee, Craven’s aunt, said he knew exactly what he needed to do to get him towards the front.
“Glen knows the horse well and knows how he works,” she said.
“It will be a tough ask, It’s his first time over this distance and he is up against some good horses. It’s a really good field.
“It’s always good to have a local horse in the hometown cup and it would be even nicer to win it.”
Keayang Cullen has won six of his last 11 starts and an impressive 16 wins from 28 starts across his career.
Craven said Keayang Cullen had been going well this campaign.
“It’s going to be a bit of a see what happens at the start. He can go forward or go back so we’ll just see,” he said.
“I think he’s won all of his starts on the track so he does like it at Terang.
“He’s been a horse that has come through his grades pretty quickly. He keeps getting better every time but in this class he has to keep improving to be competitive.”
Craven said he was hoping he could find a clear passage through the field to the front tonight, knocking off the competition, among them, his brother Matthew who will drive Amajorjo.
“It’s my home cup. My grandfather Harold is a life member there and my whole family has been involved for a long time at the club. Other than a group 1 it’s probably the only race I’d love to win,” Craven said.
The first race on the 10-race program begins at 6.25pm.
jwoolley@fairfaxmedia.com.au
