Trainer of the Quarter - Adrian Keatley | Trainer Magazine | European Trainer Article Index

Jun 20

Jun 20 Trainer of the Quarter - Adrian Keatley

TRAINING, RACING

N only his second full season as a trainer, Adrian Keatley recorded the greatest win of his career when Equinegrowthpartners Syndicate’s Jet Setting upset the formbook to land the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas from the long odds-on favourite, Minding. The victory was one that has thrust horse and trainer into the spotlight. After all, it was only in 2014 that Keatley started with a clutch of low-grade horses in his first yard at Dunlavin, which he rented from fellow trainer Peter McCreery. Keatley travelled his runners far and wide in order to get those important early wins under his belt, and the results soon came in. After a success at Ayr with Carraroe Flyer in the summer of 2014, Keatley teamed up with John Kilbride, with whom he formed syndicates to purchase bloodstock. Jet Setting, a daughter of Fast Company, was one such purchase, bought for 12,000gns by Keatley and Kilbride at the Tattersalls Horses-In-Training Sale in October 2015. She had been placed twice but was winless in her four starts for Richard Hannon. A month later, Keatley sent his new acquisition to France for her stable debut in the seven-furlong Listed Prix Herod at Chantilly. Jet Setting finished a good CALPHORMINTM third behind subsequent Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner La Cressonniere, who had won at Listed level on her debut the time before. Connections’ primary aim of picking up some black type with Jet Setting was accomplished, but perhaps the most significant aspect of the Chantilly result was that she had run her best race to that point, having clearly relished her first experience of testing ground. That finding was reinforced when she returned to action this season and comfortably lost her maiden tag at Cork, where she stepped up to a mile for the first time. Jet Setting’s easy win at Cork was achieved despite the potential distraction of Keatley moving to a new yard on the Curragh in February. It also encouraged the trainer to aim his filly’s sights higher, and two weeks later she rose to the challenge to beat a decent field in the Group 3 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown. Among those finishing behind the rapidly improving winner were the Futurity Stakes runner-up Now Or Never and Alice Springs, who had finished third to Minding in the Moyglare Stakes and second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf. Although her impressive Trial success justified a tilt at the Qipco 1000 Guineas in Newmarket, the ground was good and Jet Setting was bumped entering the final furlong. She finished ninth, beaten just over eight lengths by the 120-rated winner Minding, 14lb her superior. However, Keatley was increasingly confident of his filly’s ability when getting her ground. He had been considering the German 1,000 Guineas, but he and connections instead paid the €30,000 supplementary entry fee for the Irish race, and the weather pleasingly obliged. Jet Setting rewarded her trainer’s confidence and turned tables with Minding, winning by a head. The third-placed horse was 10 lengths behind the first two home. Minding convincingly returned to winning ways in the Epsom Oaks next time out, franking the Guineas form. Rated 121 following her Oaks win, Minding is only 1lb higher than the much-improved Jet Setting. In the space of six months, including a winter break, Keatley has improved Jet Setting by 35lb, a remarkable feat given her ordinary form as a two-year-old. Barely more than three weeks after her landmark Classic win, Jet Setting sold for £1.3m at the Goffs London Sale, and it was entirely fitting that her new owners China Horse Club have chosen for her to remain in Keatley’s care.

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This article appeared in - European Trainer - issue 54

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