Trainer Michael Young knows he’s got a feature race contender in his stable in the form of Flybye Lou.
Getting her to show why she is a contender is going to be one of the biggest challenges he’s had as a trainer.
Young recently had the filly join his stable, after she was purchased in New Zealand by fellow trainer Gary Hall Snr.
Flybye Lou stepped out publicly for the first time at Byford trials on Sunday, where she won a 2150m trial in 1:57.1, after a lead time of 36.5.
The three-year-old led and opened up a big lead in the trial, after reinsman Gary Hall Jnr wasn’t able to get her to settle.
Young said getting the filly to settle was proving to be his biggest headache.
“She’s a good horse, but she pulls hard and bolts,” Young told The Trots WA.
“That’s going to cost her and hold her back until she sorts it out.
“We didn’t plan to do that in the trial, but there’s no stopping her when she’s rolling.
“Rick Lee clocked her lead time in 36 seconds and he told me he’s never clocked any horse running that sort of time.
“She’s a good horse and kept going, but she runs her races the wrong way around.”
Flybye Lou will get a tough examination on debut in tonight’s Perth’s #1 Station Nova 93.7 Pace (2130m), where she bumps into star filly Water Lou.
Despite drawing favourably in barrier one, Young said it would be difficult to beat Water Lou, a winner at 17 of her 21 starts.
“It might make me sound silly, but she’s a good horse and pound-for-pound I think she’s as good as Water Lou,” he said.
“I think we will lead and the last quarter will be the slowest.
“If she settled and got a breather then go when Water Lou starts her run, then we might be able to beat her.”
Young said he has tentatively circled October’s WA Oaks (2536m) as a target for Flybye Lou, but knows there’s a lot of work to be done.
“We are still tweaking things along the way,” he said.
“Every time she steps out she does so in something different to try and get it right.
“She’s definitely an Oaks contender if we do sort it out.
“If we ever sort her manners out, you’ll see me with the biggest smile.”
Tim Walker
Image - Pacepix