Tradie Lady, Shes Ruby Roo and Prince Rock have led the charge into Australasia’s richest three-year-old trotting features.
Tradie Lady and Shes Ruby Roo saluted in Haras des Trotteurs Nutrien Equine 3yo Trotting Fillies Classic heats and Prince Of Rock in the Haras des Trotteurs Nutrien Equine 3yo Trotting Colts/Geldings Classic heat at Kilmore on Thursday night.
They will headline $125,000 finals to be run at Bendigo on Friday, August 11.
Prince Of Rock underlined his rise in the 3yo ranks with an all-the-way victory for Great Western owner-trainer Daryl Crone.
With reinswoman Tina Ridis adopting “catch me if you can” tactics, Prince Of Rock held off a late dive from Basilica by a half neck, with Stevie Gee a close-up third.
The son of Wishing Stone has now had three wins on end.
Prince Of Rock finished fourth to Locomotive in the Group 1 Haras des Trotteurs Nutrien Equine 2yo Mixed Sex Trotting Classic Final at Menangle last year - open to graduates of the inaugural Nutrien Equine Standardbred Yearling Sales in 2021.
The Locomotive was sent out favourite in the heat at Kilmore, but could not finish better than fourth first-up for the season.
All eight runners from the 3yo colts/geldings heat will face each other again in the final.
The Emma Stewart-trained Tradie Lady produced the fastest time of the two 3yo fillies’ heat - covering the closing 400m in 27.9 seconds to rate 2:1.9 for the 2180m.
Shes Ruby Roo overcame breaking at the start to salute for trainer Jess Tubbs and gave driver Greg Sugars his first of two Haras des Trotteurs Nutrien Equine Trotting Classic heats for the night.
He also guided home the Blake Fitzpatrick-trained Valtino in the 2yo colts/geldings heat.
The 2yo fillies heat went Maoris Mac for trainer-driver David Aiken.
Each of the 2yo finals at Bendigo will carry $62,000 in stakes.
HEAT WINNERS’ PROFILES
3YO FILLIES (Heat 1)
TRADIE LADY (Trixton US-Glenferrie Unixa Fra) - bred by Yabby Dam Farms, owned by TSR Racing Group, BJ Prentice, JB Bruty, SG Gray, PB Buntsma, DW Widdison, ACS Smith, J White. Trained by Emma Stewart, driven by Mark Pitt.
3YO FILLIES (Heat 2) SHES RUBY ROO (Creatine US-Princessa Ruth) - bred by Benstud Standardbreds, owned by PJ Hall, We R Crackers Group, GJ Lyon. Trained by Jess Tubbs, driven by Greg Sugars.
3YO COLTS/GELDINGS
PRINCE OF ROCK (Wishing Stone US-Yankee Princess) gelding - bred by JF and MB Shaw, LN Pangrazio, owners/trained by Daryl Crone. Driven by Tina Ridis.
2YO FILLIES
MAORIS MAC (Volstead US-Maori Daunou) - bred by Gary Toulmin, owned by John McHugh. Trained and driven by David Aiken.
2YO COLTS/GELDINGS
VALTINO (Love You Fra-Aspiring Eva NZ) colt - bred by Yabby Dam Farms, owned by EJ Hill, GJ Moloney. Trained by Black Fitzpatrick, driven by Greg Sugars.