Lady 'should be right in it' on best behaviour, says Pitt

Favourite backers will know their punting fate shortly after the mobile releases the field in the Haras Des Trotteurs Nutrien Equine Classic 3YO Trotting Fillies Final at Bendigo on Friday night.

And that’s according to the man who should know, Tradie Lady’s regular driver Mark Pitt.

“If she is on her best behaviour and trots away safely, she should be right in it,” Pitt said.

“She is alright once she is balanced after going the first 50 to 100 metres, she’s just got to get to that part of the race.”

Tradie Lady made a mess of the start and lost all winning chance when first-up at Bendigo three weeks ago, however she trotted faultlessly when she prevailed in her heat last week.

Bred by Yabby Dam Farms, Tradie Lady is a half-sister to the four-time Group 1 winner Une Belle Allure and Group 3 victor Beau Garcon.

Reigning 2YO Victorian Trotter of the Year The Locomotive’s unplaced effort in his heat hasn’t deterred bookmakers from installing the Wayne Potter-trained squaregaiter as a $2 favourite in the final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

The Locomotive is sure to have derived benefit from his first outing since December last year.

The $3.10 second elect is the Daryl Crone-trained Prince Of Rock, who completed a hat-trick of wins when he led all the way in his heat.

“He’s never been better,” Crone said.

Crone believes Prince Of Rock’s considerable gate speed will offset his outside front row draw.

“He led from the outside draw in his heat at Kilmore, so he can do it from out there,” Crone said.

“He’s a casual big bloke who is starting to mature and strengthen up, and it’s all clicked with him now.”

The well-bred Val Thorens could go one better in the final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings after finishing runner-up behind New South Wales’ Valtino in the heat.

The Anton Golino-trained son of Volstead hit the line strongly on debut in his qualifier and with natural improvement from the pole is sure to figure in the finish if he trots throughout.

The Emma Stewart-trained The Priestess will be looking to redeem herself in the showdown for two-year-old trotting fillies after being beaten into third place as a long odds-on favourite in her heat.

The David Aiken-prepared Maoris Mac will be out to repeat her heat win and should provide the main opposition to The Priestess again.

Toby McKinnon, Kirsten Graham and Steve Cleave will bring you all the action from Bendigo, with the wall-to-wall TrotsVision coverage kicking off shortly before the first race at 5.57pm.

Across the eight finals for graduates of the Nutrien Equine Standardbred Sales, almost $1million in prizemoney is up for grabs at Lord’s Raceway tomorrow night.