Keen a 21st century boy

One hundred and still going strong. That's a claim that Clonmellon man Tommy Keane can make about his 10-year-old racehorse Keen Look which clocked-up a century of races on the track when finishing second at Dundalk on Friday night in a one-mile handicap. Keen Look was edged out of first place by the fast-finishing Sugar Baby Love which flashed past the post in first place for Dunshaughlin handler Eddie Lynam. On a night when all the focus was on the Aidan O'Brien-trained Mastercraftsman which was having a prep race for the Breeders' Cup in Santa Anita, the achievement of Keen Look and his trainer wasn't even noticed. Mastercraftsman, which won the Irish 2000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes, duly won the Group three Diamond Stakes under the guidance of Johnny Murtagh, the jockey who guided Keen Look to his first racecourse victory at Fairyhouse eight years ago. "We didn't win the race, but we still celebrated, it's a marvellous achievement and a tribute to the skill of trainer Gerry Keane," owner Tommy Keane told the Meath Chronicle this week. "I bred Keen Look out of a mare I bought for £1,000 (€1,275) from a man in Waterford, Killone Lady which only ran twice on the flat as a two-year-old, Keen Look was her first foal. "She died last year, but I have a nice two-year-old colt from her by Antonius Pius, he is broken-in at this stage and I will have to wait a while to see how he develops. "Keen Look is a real fun horse and the way he is going at the moment, he might race for another year or two, you never know with horses," he added. Keen Look has raced predominantly on the flat and has won seven times since his first victory at Fairyhouse in September 2001. Murtagh was on board that day and of the seven runners that went to post for that six-furlong contest, Keen Look is the only one still racing. "We fancied him to win on Friday night, we were all there to cheer him home, it would have been a great way to mark his 100th race, but we still enjoyed the night and we had an each way bet at 14/1. "He's almost a family pet at this stage, he comes home for the winter as he needs good ground so there's not much point in running him on soft or heavy going, that's probably the main reason why he hasn't hurdled too much, he's in a hurdle this week at Tramore on Thursday, but he won't get in, he's 76 on the ballot. "He minds himself, most of his races are on firm to good ground, so he must be made of steel to have survived relatively unscathed for so long. "Fran Berry knows him well at this stage, he has won three races with him and he knows where to put him in a race to give him his best chance. "I know he's not a top class horse, but it's a privilege to own a horse like Keen Look, I remember talking to you after he won his first race back in 2001 and to have him racing still is a great achievement by everyone involved in his training," concluded the owner. Trainer Gerry Keane, who has sent out three winners this year, was full of praise for the horse. "He got a high enough rating from the handicapper as a two-year-old, he was up at 90 at times, but the highest he managed to win off was 83 about six years ago," stated the trainer. "We didn't win with him again until 2006 when he was down to 72, and he won last year when he was rated 60." "He got brought down in a hurdle race at Down Royal four or five years ago, it look like he was badly injured, I thought he had a broken shoulder, he could hardly walk. "However, the vet that examined him after that race said there was nothing broken so we brought him home and he stood in his box for about a month, then he was let off until April of the following year, we've had no problems with him since. "He has never run over hurdles since, but he wants good ground and getting two miles would be a challenge, he'd have to be ridden to get the trip, but he's a real hardly little horse. "Fran Berry said on Friday night that Keen Look was still full of enthusiasm, but when he goes up over the 70 mark he gets it hard to win. "I hope the handicapper doesn't crease him now after that run, he is getting on a bit, but we might keep him going again for another year or so, by that stage Tommy might have his replacement ready," added the trainer.