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By Frances O'Shea

A failed sale to Hong Kong is set to become a welcome windfall for Wyong’s Allan Kehoe.

He had been offered a lucrative deal to sell Prince Of Sorts ($3.50 on TAB) to an Asian buyer on the basis of two mid-year trials at Hawkesbury and Newcastle where he blitzed his opposition.

But the Tassort three-year-old failed the rigid veterinary tests required to export horses to Hong Kong and lines up at Wyong tomorrow for the Kehoe stable.

Nick Heywood brings back Prince of Sorts after winning at Dubbo. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

“I really think he could be the best horse I’ve ever trained,” Kehoe said. “He’s as sound as anything and his three runs to date have been good.”

Prince Of Sorts opened his account with a sixth at Wyong on August 4 before his debut win at Dubbo the following start.

He was then spelled before finishing third at Port Macquarie when resuming over 1006m on October 27.

The horse returns to his home track on Saturday in the Freemasons On The Central Coast Midway, 1200m Class 1 and Kehoe expects him to be in the finish.

“It was just a bit of fitness that cost him the win at Port last start,” he said. “He had missed his main gallop heading into the race and that set him back a bit.

“We were treating it as a trial, and he got to the line really strong.”

Kehoe said apprentice Olivia Chambers will ride Prince Of Sorts on Saturday.

“He’ll appreciate the claim and I really think he will be hard to beat. He’s a really nice horse, and I don’t think we’ll see the best of him until he gets out to 1400m and a mile.”

Kehoe’s partner Kimberley Clarke purchased Prince Of Sorts as a $22,000 yearling and he has already repaid her and her fellow owners with $32,000 in prizemoney.

Lord Bob ($61) is Kehoe’s other runner on the program, the trainer hopeful he can help continue their great start to the current season with another win.

The six-year-old lines up in the 1100m Central Coast Kids In Need BM64, having put together two wins and a second from his five runs this preparation.

“He’s getting toward the end of his preparation, but in saying that he’s not showing any signs of tiredness. He keeps stepping up to the next level and I think he will step up even further next preparation.”

Kehoe has had a super start to the 2024/25 season with six wins and eight placings from 30 starters, giving him an impressive winning strike rate of 20%.

‘It’s been a really good start and hopefully we can build on that. We have some nice two-year-olds coming through as well who can hopefully be winners.”

The first of eight races gets underway at 12.45pm, with the track currently rated a Soft 6.

SELECTIONS
Race 1 – 12.45pm: ABBEY TIMBER – GARY TURNER MEMORIAL 4YO&UP MAIDEN (1000m): 1 ARTIFACTX, 2 Cryptonic, 3 Pombia, 4 Magnolia Jewel.
Race 2 – 1.20pm: GOSFORD MASONIC CENTRE 3YO MAIDEN (1000m): 1 MANUSCRIPT, 2 Eagles Beware, 3 Highwire Flyer, 4 Algarve.
Race 3 – 1.55pm: RENTOKIL INITIAL SUPER MAIDEN (1200m): 1 INQUE, 2 War Star, 3 Rainbow Goddess, 4 Apollo Ridge.
Race 4 – 2.35pm: WIDELINE WINDOWS AND DOORS CLASS 1 (1350m): 1 SOCRAZYINLOVE, 2 Snatchreilly, 3 Lucilago, 4 Investment.
Race 5 – 3.15pm: WYONG LEAGUES GROUP – THE ROOS FOUNDATION PROVINICAL MAIDEN (1600m): 1 LIKE LUKEY, 2 Hardpoint, 3 Finger Bun, 4 Zeema.
Race 6 – 3.55pm: PETER MAC’S SERVICE CENTRE BM64 (1600m): 1 WATERVILLE, 2 Zip On By, 3 Jack Of Aces, 4 Oakfield Prince.
Race 7 – 4.35pm: FREEMASONS ON THE CENTRAL COAST MIDWAY CLASS 1 (1200m): 1 PRINCE OF SORTS, 2 Rose Water, 3 American Starlet, 4 Invaida Prince.
Race 8 – 5.15pm: CENTRAL COAST KIDS IN NEED BM64 (1100m): 1 MERCHANT LADY, 2 Don’t Doubt Merlin, 3 Accredited, 4 Ivy Diva.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Wyong here