Keating was beaten just short of a length on Devonshire’s stablemate, Harry’s Pal, in the Group One Selangor Gold Cup on Easter Sunday, while Devonshire ran fifth in the race. 

He rides Harry’s Pal on Saturday at Selangor, and then travels north to Perak for a book of six rides at the marquee meeting, including the Derby and the Victory Stakes aboard Stormy Bruce, trained by former Victorian trainer, Stephen Cook.

 “I’ve ridden Devonshire in trackwork this week and was really happy with how he worked; I was based at Perak for most of my contract here in the early 2000s and it would be wonderful to win a big race like the Derby at my home track,” Keating said.

 “I’m also looking forward to riding Stormy Bruce, who I had a bit to do with as a young horse, though it (the Victory Stakes) will be the first time I’ve ridden 53kg for a long while.”

Keating returns to Victoria on Monday night, but is tentatively booked to return to Kuala Lumpur in June for the Group One Piala Emas Sultan, the final leg of the Malaysian Triple Crown.