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It was business as usual for wonder mare Ladies In Red as she tuned up for her highly-anticipated return to racing with a professional trial performance at Tabcorp Park Melton on Tuesday afternoon.
Emma Stewart’s star pacer was the headline runner at Victorian harness racing headquarters and she didn’t disappoint, scoring a narrow victory over stablemates Phoenix Prince and Mach Dan.
Driven by David Moran, the four-year-old worked a little to find the front in the early stages of the trial, but then controlled the tempo before dashing home in a final quarter of 26.9sec to win in a mile rate of 1:55.5min (1720m).
Moran joined Tim O’Connor during the live From The Horse’s Mouth coverage on TrotsVision shortly after the trial and spoke glowingly about the mare’s first-up hit-out.
“She was really good,” Moran said.
“She got up the straight really, really well so everything should be right to go.
“…she pulled up really well. She blew up a tiny little bit, as expected, but not a lot at all really.”
With another trial likely next week, Ladies In Red will then be aimed at the Group 3 Make Mine Cullen – the first leg of the Elizabeth Clarke Mares Triple Crown – at Melton on October 8.
It will be the daughter of Mach Three’s first run since taking out the Group 1 Rising Sun in Queensland during July, a result that leaves her career record at 19 wins from 23 starts and $789,420 in prizemoney.
>> WATCH: From The Horse’s Mouth – September 27 full show
