A change of scenery has worked wonders for born-again mare Ididit (NZ).
The daughter of Moorookyle Park sire Ustinov showed she had regained her zest for racing with a comfortable win at the Te Teko trials last week.
Ididit (6m Ustinov – Winds Of Conquest by Quest For Fame) had not been seen since finishing at the rear of the field in Listed company at Rotorua back in May and was resuming for new trainer Eric Betty after being transferred from the Graham Richardson operation by her owner and breeder, the Dowager Duchess of Bedford.
“Henrietta felt she might do better in a smaller stable as she seemed to have gone off the boil so she asked me if I would like to have a try with her and if it didn’t work out she would go to the matron’s paddock,” explained Betty.
“She had one or two small problems so we gave her a break and have brought her along slowly and really her trial was to see whether she still wanted to compete like she had in the past. By the look of her effort she certainly does.”
Ididit sat outside pacemaker Joey Massino (O’Reilly) throughout the 1000 metre trial before taking command in the run home to score comfortably under a good grip from rider Kelly Myers.
Betty was delighted with the effort and is planning a raceday return in the next few weeks for the mare who finished third in last year’s G3 Taranaki Breeders Stakes.
“We gave her a few quiet days after the trial but she ate up well and worked nicely on Saturday so she is ready to start a new campaign,” he said. “She is in a tricky place in the ratings so we will probably have to kick off in an open handicap and then see where to from there.
“If she goes well and things fall into place we would like to have another go at that stakes race at Hawera.”
This year’s G3 Taranaki Breeders Stakes will be run at Hawera on October 11.
Ustinov will stand for a $4,400 (inc gst) fee this year at Moorookyle Park Thoroughbreds which is situated north of Ballarat at Smeaton.
IDIDIT
Ustinov mare with trainer Eric Betty at the Te Teko trials last week