Joe Pace is hoping Justalittlesip will atone for his unlucky second at Melton last week in Saturday night’s Del-Re National Italian Cup.
Having his first try in open company, Justalittlesip flashed home from three back the pegs to be beaten a metre by Heza Son Of Agun in the Bold David Free For All.
“It’s like he’s found a new lease of life,” Pace said of the four-year-old, who has registered four wins and three placing from his past seven starts.
The Pace camp had planned to launch a two-pronged assault on the Italian Cup, however stablemate Supreme Dominator was scratched earlier this week because of ongoing hoof problems.
“He’s got sore feet again, so we’ll take his shoes off and he can spend some time in the paddock,” he said.
“He wears pads, but it means his feet are always moist and then the problems occur.”
Pace said Justalitlesip, a Victoria Derby finalist last year, had taken a while to find his best form this time in following a three-month spell late last year.
“He did far too well in the paddock, he put on too much weight and it took longer than we expected to get it off him,” he said.
Pace purchased the pacer from New Zealand early last year with the Victoria Derby in mind.
“I’ve always thought he had the potential to be a very nice horse,” he said.
“He’s got a good 600-metre sprint and he can make his own luck if he has to. He only does what he has to and I think he’s the one to beat on Saturday night.”
Pace said Justalittlesip will stay at home while his stablemate Harry Stamper heads north next week to contest the feature trotting races at the upcoming Constellations Carnival in Brisbane.
“There are a lot of good horses going up for the carnival and he will probably be making up the numbers at this stage of his career in that company, so we’ll stay home and aim at the free for all races at Melton while the others are away,” he said.
Earlier in the night at Melton, a small but select field of mares will contest the Woodlands Stud Carlottas Pride Trotters Free For All.
Queen Elida displayed all her warrior-like qualities when she dug deep to get the better of male rival Ultimate Stride in last week’s Lenin Trotters Free For All.
In the coming months her reign as the trotting queen of Australia could be challenged by any of the three Yabby Dam Farms-owned and Anton Golino-trained mares who comprise half of the six horse field this Saturday night.
Group 1 winners Revelstoke and Visionary are those most likely to emerge in the next 12 months, while Amandine, the lowest-ranked horse in the race at NR71, needs to find the manners to match her untapped talent.
TUNE IN at MELTON on Saturday
First Race: 4.47pm Last Race: 9pm
Racecaller: Lachlan McIntosh with Toby McKinnon, Jason Bonnington and Steve Cleave on TrotsVision.
TrotsVision: WATCH LIVE
SEN Track: LISTEN LIVE
RSN 927: LISTEN LIVE
Winner of the Week
LONDON TO A BRICK, by Bettors Delight out of Im Justforyou, at Menangle on May 30.
Breed your next winner with Woodlands Stud, supporter of Trots Centre
