Scheelite to contest the Group 3 McNeil Stakes

Cranbourne trainers Ken and Kasey Keys can head to their spring goal without the expectation of Scheelite remaining unbeaten.

Scheelite won his first two starts before returning from a break to be beaten out of a place in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 19.

The colt returns to Caulfield on Saturday to contest the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) on a path towards the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 14.

Ken Keys said the pressure was off to maintain the ‘picket fence’ allowing he and his daughter to now concentrate on their main goal.

Scheelite finished fifth first-up, just under one-and-a-half lengths from the victor Cylinder.

“I couldn’t be happier with his run,” Keys said.

“He got pushed to the inside, which probably wasn’t ideal and if we had run fourth, we would have been over the moon, and I thought we had.

“I have to keep telling myself now, it’s not all about winning, it’s about getting to the Guineas.

“You dream of keeping the ‘picket fence’ going, but then reality sets in.”

Keys said Scheelite will not be lacking for fitness when he runs on Saturday and further into the preparation when he contests the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 23 ahead of the Guineas three weeks later.

Scheelite also holds a nomination for the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 28.

Keys admitted to some nerves ahead of the colt’s return a fortnight ago.

“You want to see that he is going as well as you thought and is as good as you thought,” Keys said.

“We went in with one less trial, having only one instead of two.

“Now that he’s been beaten, we are not having to win every race, even though we are still trying to, but you’re not cooking him for it.

“His fitness will be no issue, but the race experience, he will keep gaining from.

“We’ll go from here to the Prelude then to the Guineas.

“Three weeks, three weeks. He should have it altogether then and we won’t be chasing fitness.”