FOLLOW: Iseered Iseered
This Luke Fernie-trained three-year-old appears to have his fair share of ability. The Safeguard gelding was a 400m trial winner last May and, in rather unorthodox fashion, wasn’t produced in the public domain again until winning his race debut on Kalgoorlie Cup day in October after a betting plunge of $4.60 to $2.05. He wasn’t asked for a full effort when finishing a nice third at his trial return on December 29 but had the addition of blinkers in today’s heat and romped in by 4.8 lengths in slick time (00:56:69).
KEY HEATS:
Heat 1: 400m 2YO
Brock Lewthwaite prepared the quinella of the only 400m heat of the day when My Marlaina defeated My Dilemma by a nose in 00:24:32. The winner is a full sister to seven-time winner My Laina and extended nicely under a good hold by rider Michelle Hagley in her trial debut, while My Dilemma matched strides with her stablemate and also didn’t appear to be asked for a full effort.
Heat 2: 950m 2YO
Kelly’s Lassie produced a professional performance in her second trial outing when settling one-out and one-back before peeling out and racing past her rivals to win with her ears pricked. The Safeguard filly could’ve won by further but still stopped the clock in 00:57:07 — a time that has only been beaten twice by a two-year-old so far this season — courtesy of the undefeated Sniparoochy (00:56:29) and unraced Searchin’ Roc’s (00:57:00).
Heat 3: 950m 2YO
Whilst Heat 3 was the slower of the two 950m two-year-old heats (00:57:88), there was a bit to like about the second horse across the line, Cold Sizzle. The first foal out of former handy race-mare Fo’ Shizzle, the Awesome Rock gelding settled towards the rear of the seven-horse field but hit the line very nicely underneath Chris Parnham to only be beaten by half-a-length at his first trial appearance.
Heat 4: 950m 3YO+ 72+
Having her second trial for her preparation, We’ve Got Dreams scorched the turf in easily the fastest 950m heat of the day (00:55:42). A winner at seven of 14 starts to date, the Universal Ruler four-year-old was barely let off the bridle when beaten just under three lengths at her trial return on December 29 but was opened up by rider Kyra Yuill to win today’s heat by 4.6 lengths.
Heat 5: 950m 3YO+ 0-71
Despite having to settle towards the back of a crawling speed, the race-fit Western Rhythm picked up strongly along the rail and won under a hold. Double Spice also caught the eye from back in the field when running through the line nicely under his own steam. The Stephen Miller-trained gelding wasn’t asked for a full effort by rider Brad Rawiller but moved stylishly in his first public appearance since August.
Heat 7: 950m 3YO+ 0-71
Undefeated Safeguard three-year-old Iseered Iseered looks ready to go after a dominant 4.8-length win in the second-fastest time of the day (00:56:69). Ridden quietly by junior apprentice Tyla Becker when finishing third at his trial return on December 29, the gelding had the addition of blinkers today and senior hoop Mitch Pateman took him straight to the front before putting a space on the rest of the field in the straight.
Heat 11: 950m 4YO+ MDN
Whilst the quality of his opposition was very questionable, the Greg Carige-trained Cotchin couldn’t have done much more at his trial debut. The flashy Planet Five four-year-old settled in the second-half of the field but gobbled up his rivals in a matter of strides in the straight and pulled away to score by 1.6 lengths untouched.
Heat 12: 950m 4YO+ MDN
Similarly to the previous heat, there is a large asterisk next to the overall strength of this field but trial debutant Birchmont appears to have some upside. Bred and owned by trainer Myra Ives, the Ouqba four-year-old settled outside of the lead before romping away to an effortless 4.8-length victory at his first public appearance.