Dominant stable starting to flex its muscle again

Here comes the Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin juggernaut.

Victoria’s dominant stable is just starting to flex its muscle again, with key runners in four of the major races at Bendigo on Saturday night.

And there is a plethora of stars waiting in the wings, ready to resume in coming weeks.

Brilliant youngsters Ladies In Red and Major Moth sparkled at the Melton trials last Monday night, while hugely popular filly Tough Tilly headlines a huge group of others set to trial at the same track next Monday.

But the horse everyone wants to know about is Ride High.

He hasn’t raced since suffering a tendon injury last October, when beaten for just the second time in his 18-start career. He could be anything if he stays sound this campaign.

“He’s getting very close now. His latest scan was terrific, we’re so happy with him. He’s only about three weeks away from a trial. We’re getting pretty excited,” Tonkin said.

Ride High won’t have the grounding in time for the $300,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton on October 9, so that’s where Out To Play, who resumes at Bendigo, is important.

“Out To Play and maybe Mach Dan will be our main Victoria Cup hopes,” Tonkin said.

Out To Play, bred and raced by Ride High’s major owner Peter Gleeson, has lived in Ride High’s shadow, but built an impressive record himself.

He’s won 13 of his 36 starts and, after a strong juvenile career, stepped into the big league last campaign with three seconds at Group 1 level (Ballarat Cup, Schweppes Sprint and Riverina Championship final) as well as a fifth in the Hunter Cup and eighth in the Miracle Mile.

Out To Play sharpened-up for his racetrack return with a second, albeit well-beaten by brilliant General Dodge, in a Melton trial last Monday night.

Kate Gath, who has driven Out To Play 12 times for five wins and two seconds, takes the reins from gate two in a small, fascinating 2150m Falvo Fruits Pace at Bendigo. His rivals include classy pair Boots Electric (gate five) and Perfect Stride (four), who are also resuming for new trainer Russell Jack, and in-form former Kiwi pacer Triple Eight (three).

Stewart and Tonkin’s other key Bendigo runners include: exciting young trotter Cover Of Darkness (race three); Go Dancing in a very strong Group 3 VHRC Caduceus Victoria Sires’ Classic (race seven) as well as Yianni and Concealment in the Group 3 Alabar Vicbred Championship Final (race eight).

“Things are really starting to get really busy for us again,” Tonkin said. “Most of the good horses are either coming back or about to.

“We’ll have many of our best two-year-olds going to the trials on Monday, along with Derby and Oaks horses like Tough Tilly, Act Now and others.

“Our good mares are also close. We’ll have Maajida, Techys Angel, My Bettor Lady and Amelia Rose for the big mares’ races, like the Queen of The Pacific.”

Tonkin is also excited with the progress of two of the stable’s most gifted horses, Alpha Male and Be Happy Mach, who haven’t raced for two-and-a-half years and 18 months respectively because of injury.

“The new set-up we have with the water walker and treadmill has been so important in getting these good horses back, like Ride High, Be Happy Mach and Alpha Male,” he said.

“They’re all at about the same stage, about three weeks away from a trial. Be Happy Mach is working-up with Ride High, while Alpha Male seems really well, too.”

Be Happy Mach was the standout juvenile of his season and has won 10 of his 12 starts, while trotter Alpha Male has only raced five times, but won twice at Group 1 level.

By Adam Hamilton from thetrots.com.au