Trots Centre: Hayes takes ups and downs of Emilio's stars in Stride

Some of Australasia's finest trots talent continues to pass through Mark Hayes' hands, a daunting task he’s taken in his stride for several decades.

Much of the trainer-driver's trots commitments are dedicated to preparing Emilio and Mary Rosati’s extraordinary fleet of trotters and pacers, and he’ll step out at Bendigo tonight with another Stride project.

Tiara Stride will debut in the Simonds Homes 3YO Bendigo Trotters Handicap, to stream live on Trots Vision at 6.03pm, the Rosati bred and owned trotter one of their few to require a ‘back to the drawing board’ approach.

Hayes has broken in Rosatis fleet for more than 20 years, with about 25 passing through each year. He has 16 of team Stride in work at the moment, of which 14 are yearlings.

“(Emilio) breeds about 20 a year at Alabar and buys four or five or six, a few in New Zealand and a few in America,” Hayes said.

“He is definitely a trier and loves the sport. He only breeds to the best, often Muscle Hill or Bettors Delight. A lot of the times they come and they are a bit of a rabbit, but then they change gears and turn into nice horses.

“Elite Stride is one of the best ones that I have broken in. I had him for two or three preps and took him for a few trials and he would just blow away the pacers. It’s a nice connection to have, but you are always worried if something goes wrong. There are a lot of expensive horses.”

Tiara Stride is out of Amore Stride, Rosati’s Love You entire who was a half-brother to Earl Of Mot ($535,756). Amore Stride won just a shade under $100,000 including the Group 1 Franco Australian Final by an extraordinary 18 metres from legendary Keystone Del.

To produce three-year-old Tiara Stride the stallion was pared with unraced US bred mare Nitengale Stride, who herself was out of Lunar Dream Om, an American winner of $150,879 and a half-sister to 1994 Hambletonian winner Victory Dream ($1,016,537).

“I broke Amore in for Emilio when he started and he went to Mark Purdon. He was a nice enough horse so Emilio bred a few to him,” Hayes said.

“I broke (Tiara Stride) in early days, she went to Sydney but came back eight or nine weeks ago with a few crosses against her name.

“She’d been a naughty girl. She’s quite contrarian. She has seasonal problems, but now that it’s cold she’s not as bad.

“I don’t know how good she can be yet, but she trials OK and we will see if she can take the next step. It’s up in the air. She trots OK, but it’s her mindset and attitude.”

She’s trialled five times since March 29 in Victoria, garnering mixed reports from Craig Rail in his Trial File, most recently running second at Maryborough on June 7 when she “trailed the leader and moved away from the inside but couldn’t go with Glengarriff in the latter stages”.

“As long as she trots and goes around and behaves herself that’s the first thing she has got to do,” Hayes said. “If we can sort her out a bit she will return to Sydney and Anthony Butt’s.”

Hayes will also race The Night King tonight, with his home-bred four-year-old trotter to contest the first, the J L King & Co Trot.

A four-year-old Danny Bouchea gelding out of Motu Paulina, a half-sister to Motu Young Jacob ($225,682), The Night King's amid his first campaign, having had eight starts thus far for two placings.

“He’s taken a little while to come to hand. He is a little slow but usually trots,” Hayes said. “He’s had a couple of thirds, couple of fourths and a fifth, but he’s still leaning all about it. Hopefully he can win (tonight) or soon and have a little break.”

TALKING TROTS ON SENTRACK:

Hosts Jason Bonnington and Blake Redden have another big line-up for today's Talking Trots on SENTrack, which runs weekdays from 11am-1pm on 1377AM in Melbourne, 657AM in Perth and 1575AM in Wollongong.

Click here to listen live and for links to download the SEN app.