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Voile out to provide fitting farewell for Keogh

Outgoing Godolphin foreman hoping to bow out with a winner.

Sean Keogh (right) with James Cimmings.
Sean Keogh (right) with James Cimmings. Picture: Racing Photos

Sean Keogh described Anamoe as the 'jewel in the crown' of his time at Godolphin, so it is appropriate that his last feature meeting at the global giant includes a race that first showcased his talent.

Anamoe broke his maiden in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes, a race in which Keogh's boss James Cummings will be represented by Voile this year.

The Caulfield meeting will be Keogh's last after more than six years at Godolphin and the Melbourne foreman said while he got great enjoyment out of Bivouac's deeds, Anamoe was the highlight of his time with the organisation.

"The time we had Bivouac in the stable he was world champion sprinter, so to be with that horse and be working closely with him was amazing, but definitely Anamoe was the jewel in the crown," Keogh said.

"For the last two decades and what they (Godolphin) have been able to do on the breeding side of things and to take out the Cox Plate is the best of the best."

Anamoe's Merson Cooper Stakes win was one of two for Godolphin in the past four years, following Hanseatic's win for Anthony Freedman in 2019, while last year the Cummings-trained Cylinder was narrowly beaten by subsequent Blue Diamond winner Little Brose in the 1000-metre event.

"You've got high-quality horses coming through this race, so it's definitely something we're mindful of when targeting a filly like this for the race on Saturday," Keogh said.

"We've had major success in the race over the last number of years and hopefully it can continue on Saturday."

Voile is a daughter of Exceed And Excel who hails from the family of Long John. Her dam Organza is out of the Strategic mare Mousseline, who is a half-sister to the 2013 Caulfield Guineas winner.

Voile made her first public appearance in a Randwick trial on November 3, finishing third, before taking up residence at Flemington, where she finished second in an 800m jumpout on November 17.

Jamie Kah took Voile for a spin on the Caulfield track on Tuesday morning, galloping with Back Page, and Keogh said the star jockey was impressed.

"This morning she went around with a stablemate just to give her a bit of confidence getting around and Jamie was very pleased with how she felt and how she got around," Keogh said.

Despite leaving Godolphin, Irishman Keogh will not be lost to racing, relocating to New South Wales's Central Coast where he will take up a position with Coolmore.