Twelve months ago Keen Array looked to have the world at his feet when he earned his first stakes victory in the Blue Sapphire Stakes followed by a second in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.
But the son of Bel Esprit was out of the winners circle until breaking through at his most recent start in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Back to the same track and distance in Wednesday's Listed
It was not achieved without some drama.
Keen Array had to undergo a vet's inspection behind the barrier after hitting his head in the stall. He then had to negotiate a path clear of the riderless Taddei Tondo after the Danerich gelding dumped jockey Patrick Moloney at the start.
"He just launched at the gates and he got his bottom jaw stuck in the front of the gates," Keen Array's jockey Dwayne Dunn said.
"I was just wanting them to check he didn't break it (his jaw) or anything."
Co-trainer David Hayes, who trains Keen Array in partnership with his son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig, said they might roll the dice in Friday week's Group I Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
"He's a really good sprinter," Hayes said.
"I think he's going to set up really well for either an ambitious Moonee Valley run or a conservative Flemington run.
"The Salinger (Group II TAB.com.au Stakes) is a nice race for him and we'll just keep an eye on the
The victory advances the overall record of Keen Array to 6 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third from 14 starts with earnings of $670,550.
Passed in at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale when failing to make his $30,000 reserve, and later bought privately from the estate of his breeder Oliver Wong, Keen Array is the second winner for his dam Moorea, a winning Zabeel half-sister to Group I HK International Mile winner The Duke.
Purchased out of the Wood Nook Farm draft at the 2012 Magic Millions National Broodmare sale for $100,000, Moorea has a yearling colt by Dundeel (NZ) and was bred back to the New Zealand-born champion at Arrowfield Stud last spring.
The prolific Bel Esprit was well received by Queensland breeders last spring covering 140 mares at Sun Stud for a fee of $18,700 and remains at that fee this year.
