Barefoot Zulu did what he has been threatening for months when breaking the Grafton 450m track record on Sunday night and now has a much greater target.
The son of Sennachie and Kooringa Maisie ran 24.98 when winning a 5th Grade by almost 13 lengths to eclipse the former record mark of 25.01 held by Robert Cooke's Cash View.
"It was a huge effort," said Keep of the dog's win. "The track was rain affected, but he really flew."
Keep will discuss with Simone and John the future plans for their dog, now the winner at four of his six starts.
"But, my plan is to head to Wentworth Park next week for a trial," said Keep. "I'd like to get a couple of trials or even a trial and a race at Wenty before he has to qualify for the Million Dollar Chase. The Grafton series of the Million Dollar Chase is on in four weeks so that gives us plenty of time to get him used to Wenty. This dog is forcing us into looking higher."
Keep said a recent race behind the finish-on lure at Grafton had confused Barefoot Zulu.
"At his next start, he came out and headed straight for the lure causing himself a few traffic problems," said the wiley Keep. "My partner Shannon and I have changed his straight work since then putting him out of the starting boxes behind the drag lure. It worked. He came out perfectly on Sunday night and stayed straight. He was a different dog."
Keep is no stranger to the big time, having prepared Baroque Knight to finish third in a Golden Easter Egg.
