Two very different horses, two very good reasons for NSW Tycoons owners to get excited about what lies ahead for Estadio Mestalla and Etched In Time.
Neither won, but both showed the talent you want to see.
EMILIO ONLY BEATEN A NECK
There’s no denying that Estadio Mestalla is quite a mouthful, so Joe Pride’s stable staff have quickly named him ‘Emilio’.
He was only bought two months ago for $65,000, and it’s pretty cool that he headed straight to Rosehill Gardens in a $160,000 BM100 Saturday race. This is no mean feat in Sydney.
He drew barrier 9 in a field of 9 and was having his first start in a race under 1500m, so the tactics were to roll forward and sit on the pace if possible. Officially he finished fourth but was only beaten a neck and never once gave an inch.
Jockey Jay Ford did a great job and was full of praise for Emilio on dismounting.
“I think he’s going to be a really good pick-up for you guys.
In the straight, he gave me a length and maintained that all the way to the line.
I would continue to ride him that way, he’s a tough horse, a middle-distance horse that will win races through toughness and strength,” Ford said.
“I think he’s going to be a really good pick-up for you guys” Jockey Jay Ford
PRIDE COULDN’T BE HAPPIER
Your trainer, Joe Pride, who also owns in the horse, was delighted with what he saw.
“When I say I couldn’t be happier, I mean we all like to win. To run fourth beaten by a narrow margin, don’t worry that’s a good effort.
We’ll give him a couple more starts this prep but the real upside in this horse will be on the softer tracks in Winter” Pride said.
And with the prize money on offer in NSW, Emilio can very quickly propel the Tycoons to the top of the ladder for both the monthly $10,000 prize and the $50,000 prize for Season 3 Premiers – which one owner will Win!
ETCHED IN TIME OUT OF LUCK
Following Saturday’s outing at Rosehill, The NSW Tycoons travelled to Muswellbrook on Monday for another first-up assignment, this time from Etched In Time in what appeared to be a winnable race.
It’s hard to imagine from barrier 4 you never see daylight, but that was the case for Etched.
He copped a check shortly after the start, which put him back on the fence and in a difficult position, and jockey Jean Van Overmeire just never saw daylight finishing with a lap full of horse.
“He got poleaxed at the start, then coming round the turn looking for a run there were just slow ones going nowhere.
He’s in for a really good prep I think” Van Overmeire said.
“He is in for a really good prep.” Jockey Jean Van Overmeire
WON’T BE A MAIDEN FOR LONG
You could certainly make a case that he should have won if given a clear run according to trainer Will Freedman.
“The good news is he handled all that adversity well.
He’s run enormous, I’m frustrated for the horse. He’s right on track and won’t be a maiden for long.
You don’t have to be an expert to see he had no luck, we will go for a race at a similar distance, and he’ll be winning.” Freedman said.
