Trots Centre: Tindales take eight-year-old maiden in their Stride

A next big thing, an old soul and a sold prospect are ferried to a racecourse – it’s not a new take on the ‘walk into a bar’ joke but a revealing insight into AJ and Beau Tindale’s stable.

The pair’s give it a go ethos will be on show at Ballarat on Friday night, when they will debut an eight-year-old, farewell a stalwart and carry great optimism for a richly-bred, lightly-raced three-year-old filly.

“We will give anything a go, I’m not fussy,” AJ Tindale said, as evidenced by the stable’s enthusiasm in taking on Skye Cruiser for tomorrow night’s TAB Long May We Play Maiden Pace.

“You’ve got to give each one a chance, whether they are eight or two, they are all worth a crack. It’s from one end of the scale to the next – to have a Stride horse knock on your door is amazing, and some may turn their nose up at an eight-year-old maiden, but you never know.”

Owned and bred by Allan Chambers, Skye Cruiser is by Julius Caesar out of Mia Equity and had two previous starts for David Murphy in February and March this year, which yielded sixth and 12^th placings.

A miss-step in his debut means his out of draw status follows him into tomorrow night’s meeting, but Tindale’s optimistic about his chances of soon breaking that maiden status, spurred on by an eye-catching trial at Maryborough on August 15.

As detailed by Craig Rail in his Trial File, “Skye Cruiser finished off best to win comfortably” that “indicated that he can show improvement this campaign”.

He won by six metres in a 58.7-second last half ahead of Jilliby Dingo and Majestic Reactor, who have each broken their maiden status.

“He’s a lovely horse,” Tindale said. “In his trial at Maryborough he won quite comfortably with a sprint up the straight. He’s more than capable of winning a maiden, but the draw’s a bit tricky.”

He’ll start from outside the back row in a full field, but Tindale believes being off the pace will suit.

“I probably prefer him to be driven as a sit and kick. He’s still learning, so it’s probably not a terrible thing, he will have to a do a bit of educating,” she said.

“If he has luck and the tempo is genuine then he should be flashing home late. He will take a lot out of it and only benefit going forward.”

It will be quite a contrast to the Tindales’ second starter, with Coral Stride tipped to start favourite in the Isuzu Ute Ballarat 3YO Pace, when she’ll attempt to take advantage of her gate three draw to make it two from two.

Owned by prolific breeder Emilio Rossati, Coral Stride is a half-sister to the brilliant Wolf Stride, being out of Lilac Stride (but by Somebeachsomewhere).

She franked that standing in her debut at Terang on August 17 when she led all the way and won by seven metres.

“She has trained on nicely, drawn well and if she can roll to the front and dictate the tempo she will go very close again.”

Friday night’s run could be critical to how high the stable sets the bar for her, eager to balance her education with giving her a chance to thrive in forthcoming series like the Pryde’s EasiFeed Victoria Oaks and New South Wales’ Breeders Challenge.

“She has shown ability. This will tell us a bit more on Friday night. If she wins we will probably start talking game plans.”

The stable has also prepared Where Ya Bin for Friday night’s racing, with the five-year-old to contest the Decoglaze Pace.

It will be his 18^th and final start for the Tindales, having been sold to new owner Peter Cole, who he will race for on Friday night.

“He has been going really well. Unfortunately his last couple of runs they have been putting in 33-second second quarters and then getting home in low 27 seconds. When you are sitting back in the field you can’t get into it.

“It’s the best draw he’s had for a while. If he presses early hopefully he can finish in the top bracket, but it’s probably a bit of a harder ask for him.”