The French family’s big investment in Form Analyst has bought them a priceless place in Friday night’s Garrards Horse and Hound Bendigo Pacing Cup.
Twenty-two-year-old reinswoman Tayla French will take the reins of Form Analyst in tomorrow night’s $70,000 feature, driving in her local cup for dad Terry, the gelding’s trainer and owner, who snapped up the Vicbred Super Series and Breeders Crown heat winner in a November claiming race.
“It’s a really big surprise to me,” Tayla told the Trots Talk radio segment. “The nerves are starting to kick in but I’m definitely counting down.”
The family paid $15,000 to purchase Form Analyst in the November 2 COGS Claiming Pace at Melton, almost half of which has since been won back in prizemoney in the six-year-old’s subsequent seven starts.
“We took it as a risky option, buying from a big stable and it’s a fair bit of money,” Tayla said. “We thought we’d have a fair bit of fun with him and it would be nice to have a horse race metro.
“He’s had seven starts so far and only missed the weigh in once, so that’s a huge thrill for us considering we have only been racing with muck around horses around the $1000 purchase mark. It’s exciting.”
That excitement will reach fever pitch at 9.52pm tomorrow when the gates’ open for the cup, with Tayla and Form Analyst to start from gate one.
“Nerves have obviously kicked in,” Tayla said. “It’s a strong field. The Storm Inside is probably the next best thing, 1:50 last start at Ballarat which is flying, absolutely huge. San Carlo is coming off the Inter Dominion campaign for the O’Donoghue-Bartley camp, he’s another really strong horse.
“Phoenix Prince won the Cranbourne and Geelong Cup two starts prior, so a lot of really good horses in it. It’s just a big thrill and achievement too I suppose having a horse in the Bendigo Cup this year.
“I’m obviously looking for the quietest run possible, he’s not the class horse in that field. I’ll be coming off gate just nicely and hopefully be able to land a position on the fence, which will allow me to have a nice run into the race.”
And, if all goes well, the pair could become a feature of the Trots Country Cups Championship.
“Going back four, five weeks ago when we bought this horse we never once thought we were purchasing a country cups horse,” she said. “But, there is a first time for everything, obviously he’s very strong and very consistent and if he shows that he can race against this sort of field on Friday night, definitely, we will be looking at more country cups with him.”
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