Fiscalini family enjoying some fun times

Country Victoria’s passionate Fiscalini harness racing stable is all smiles at the moment – and for a very good reason!

Three-year-old trotting filly Im Lady Rhonda (Sebastian K) hasn’t put a foot wrong since resuming from a spell with impressive wins at her home track at Ararat, in the Central Highlands, on November 11 and then a week later at Charlton.

“She certainly appreciated a good spell and is now starting to roll along okay,” trainer Ross Fiscalini said.

“We were running into a few little problems, with the main one being her back. Bruce Marsh, who is well-known around our area, did a fair bit of work on her,” he said.

“We’ve also been giving her a lot of cantering in her trackwork and that’s freed her up.”

Im Lady Rhonda faces one of her toughest tests tonight at Bendigo (Nov 27) when she competes in the $10,000 Scotch Notch 3YO Trotting Mile.

“It looks a strong field but providing she trots all the way and does everything right, we’ll be happy,” Fiscalini said.

Im Lady Rhonda started her racing career with Danny and Leroy O’Brien, at nearby Armstrong, and had two luckless starts as a two-year-old.

“We grew up with the O’Briens and they’ve trained some horses over the years for us,” Fiscalini said.

“One of her early starts for us was pretty exciting because she ran second in The Māori Legend to April Sun (Majestic Son) at Stawell. We had three or four placings at Melton and Bendigo from six starts before tossing her out for a spell.

“It’s certainly a family affair. Our son Trent is right into the sport now, and my brother Peter has been a great help. He’s had a lot of trotters and has an eye for those little one percenters that can make so much of a difference.

“One thing that Peter suggested this time in has been to put heavier front bell boots on Im Lady Rhonda and that’s worked very well.”

Fiscalini has returned to harness racing in the past three seasons after having a break of about 20 years.

“I was a trainer-driver for 20 to 30 years and then lost interest. We were also busy travelling all over the country with Trent who tried out with the Victoria Country football squad, and had a run with the Rebels. He won U14 and U17 grand finals.

“He’s had a great playing career in the country and was also a successful coach.”

After playing junior football at Ararat, Trent later played for Beaufort, before heading to Moyston-Willaura where he coached the team to the Mininera and District league premiership in 2014.

The next season, due to family connections, he found himself in the far northwest corner of the State, coaching Robinvale-Euston who merged after previously playing in different leagues. After that stint he moved back closer to home.

“Trent is now in the process of getting his harness racing drivers licence and I reckon one day he’d like to also train a few horses. He and his wife are setting up a property at Great Western,” Ross said.

“During my time away, I dabbled into the gallopers with some small shares – but I think it took me 16 years to win a race, and I decided not to go and watch because it was six hours away at Oakbank!”

The Fiscalinis enjoyed recent harness racing ownership success with trotter Down Under Earl (Down Under Muscles), trained by Danny O’Brien, who was the 2022 winner of the prestigious Gr 3 Tontine Championship at Hamilton.

Im Lady Rhonda’s back-to-back victories made it three training wins for the month for Ross. He also scored at Maryborough on November 6 with two-year-old Yawoma (A Rocknroll Dance), a filly Trent bred and owned, and has subsequently been sold to WA.

“She was a nice horse, and the unusual name comes from the first letters in a property which stands for ‘You Are Welcome On Mt Ararat,” Fiscalini said.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink