Trots Centre: Attention Seeking gets her chance to shine

With a hiccup behind her Attention Seeking is now ready for her place in the spotlight, with Mark and Sue-Ellen Thompson’s well-bred three-year-old to make her race track debut at Echuca tonight.

The Somebeachsomewhere filly is out of Secret Bonus, making her a little half-sister to Presidentialsecret ($187,937), Living Bonus ($93,210), Times A Bonus ($69,935) and Dieing Secret ($68,688).

“Her mum has done a great job and comes from Ron Pocock’s line,” trainer Mark Thompson said, but they’ve had to be patient for their latest to see the starter’s gate.

“(Attention Seeking) had a problem with one of her hind legs and we had to put her out for six months, then we brought her back and touch wood everything is good.

“I think if she hadn’t had her mishap she would have raced as a two-year-old. (The lay-off’s) only going to help a horse like her. She is a big, big filly.

“She has still got to go to the races and put it together. She still has a fair way to go, but she’s doing well.

“She trialed last week and was pretty good at the trial, which was good to see because I had been training her on her own.”

And, Thompson said, while working at home can give a good indication as to a horse’s ability to run time, it’s not until they get into the throng of racing that the picture becomes more clear.

“If they can do three laps at home in 2 mins 50 secs, when I go to the trial I know they will be competitive,” he said.

“Some then find another leg, some get nervy, some take to it like a duck to water and some go no good.”

Trialing for the first time in almost a year at Bendigo on September 27, Attention Seeking was gently away but soon found her stride.

“She fought a bit in the box, didn’t show gate speed at the start and just rolled along as they were in single file,” Thompson said. “The leader got away down the back and when she pulled out she got up to him and then went to the line good to win. She come back and wouldn’t have know what she’d done.”

So next step is tonight’s TAB Long May We Play 3YO Pace, when at 10.27pm she will step out of gate five with James Herbertson in the sulky.

Thompson is primarily just hopeful she can “get around safely and put in a good performance”.

“At Echuca, you probably have to get forward if you can,” he said. “She will probably come out of the gate and have a look around and see what she can do and if it’s slow you have probably got to get her up the front.”

A good performance or two and the door will remain ajar for December’s Vicbred Super Series.

“If she shows enough in her first couple of starts (we’ll look at it). There has always been a big gap between the middle of the road and the top of the (tree).

“She’s probably got better than average ability, but whether she will be up to the better ones we will find out in the next few months.”

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