​Is It Me capped a stellar preparation with a commanding victory in the 1400m Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap at Flemington on March 8th.
The victory was a career best, careering away to an extending 3.75 length margin at the post.

A special ride by Billy Egan alleviated the potential of ‘bad luck’, something that has proven to be an issue with inside barrier draws in the past.
Speaking to Racing.com post-race, Daniel lauded the ride by Egan. “It’s been a blessing to link up with Billy, he has really worked him out.”

Egan’s plans pre-race centred around going back and letting the race unfold off what looked to be a slow pace on paper. 
With horses making moves out wide, it worked a treat and after weaving through the field close to the fence, “he flogged them” in the words of his proud trainer.
Explaining the horse’s journey to Racing.com, Daniel explained patience has been the key. 
“He has just been a work in progress, very immature mentally and has just taken a long time to learn his craft.”
His 1400m form at the track is exceptional with three wins and two unlucky close-up seconds from five starts.
The only other time he raced at headquarters was down the straight when again narrowly beaten over 1200m.

Daniel was effusive in his praise for his team post-race, especially wife Denita.
“I know my stable and family wouldn’t run without mine, the work behind the scenes and never any accolades; I have to thank her.”
With the 5YO son of Iffraaj’s love for Flemington, plans going forward are likely to be centred around a Spring campaign at our premier track before tackling a race that the stable have enjoyed success in previously.
“He loves it here, he has been in for a long time and there is not a lot around, I will see how he pulls up, but I think we will give him a break.”
“There are plenty of 1400m options in the Spring, and then maybe the Rupert Clarke at the back end would be nice.”
The stables only Group One winner was in the Sir Rupert Clarke in 2019, when stable favourite Begood Toya Mother charged to victory.
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A $40,000 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale purchase in 2021, this win took Is It Me’s career statistics to seven wins and eight placings from 21 starts for more than $530,000 in prizemoney.
Congratulations to his owners.

​Three-year-old debutante, No Cash Here showed plenty of fight to win the Harvey Norman Maiden Plate over 1200m at Ararat on Monday.
The gritty win made for a great weekend for the stable, three winners and a placing coming from our seven runners over four days.
Described as a ‘lazy’ trackworker by Daniel, a gear addition and strong ride were big factors in his debut success.
“He is a very lazy worker at home and we knew we needed to switch him on with the addition of blinkers, topping it off was a great ride by Declan (Bates), he needed a strong rider.”
Backing up Daniel’s words were a couple of uninspiring jumpouts leading up to the race, the above additions working beautifully to reward owners.
“Thankfully we got it right, it was terrific to reward his owners, we found the right race.”
Big odds were on offer in early markets, but the ‘smart’ punters soon launched to see him eventually start a well-backed $3.60 second favourite.
From barrier one, after a tardy start, Bates was able to drive up behind the leaders before peeling off into a striking position in the home straight.
Despite appearing to be struggling at the 200m mark, the gelding dug deep to be the strongest at the post, scoring by long neck over the Henry Dwyer trained Maid An Offer
By Heroic Valour, a son of champion producer Fastnet Rock he was sought by Bevan Smith Bloodstock at the 2022 Magic Millions QTIS Sale.
Congratulations to his connections!

​After a frustrating twelve months, promising 4YO gelding Is It Me returned to the winner’s stall, albeit narrowly at the Cranbourne Cup meeting.
Twelve months after a big seven length Maiden win at Penshurst, the gelding nailed victory by the smallest possible margin in a thrilling finish to the $80,000 Reed Cranes & Haulage Handicap over 1300m.
Although race broadcaster Matthew Hill was confident he’d held off the fast finishing topweight Bel Air, it was a nervous wait for owners as the runners returned to scale.
Daniel in fact was being interviewed by Racing.com when the number went into the frame.
As mentioned, the son of Iffraaj had experienced an indifferent twelve months, mainly his own doing as he continues to mature as Daniel explained.
“I think he could be Group or Listed level in time, but he’s just got to go through his grades and learn his craft. He did everything right and was aided by a really good ride, hopefully the penny has started to drop and we can raise the bar slowly.”
After a great first-up run behind Sky Bird at Bendigo, he then found traffic issues when missing the start at the same track next start.
From a wide draw it was a brilliant tactical ride by Jordan Childs
Settling midfield, one runner off the fence, he travelled well before being asked for the supreme effort upon straightening for home.
The pair were able to quickly reel in the leaders, before stalling off all challengers, especially Bel Air.
Only early in his preparation and with the bulk of the better Spring performers in the paddock, Daniel can now continue to plot a course through the grades over the next couple of months.
The overall expectations on a horse when winning their first two starts can quickly outgrow the maturity of a galloper, but hopefully now both are back on a parallel and he can reach the heights we all desire.
Eight starts for three wins and three second placings and over $122,000 in prizemoney is a nice start for a horse heading in that direction.
Congratulations to all owners!

​Honour De Hero produced a career best performance to make it back-to-back wins at the annual Penshurst meeting on the weekend.
The 6YO daughter of Von Costa De Hero was a convincing five length winner of the Pat Hassett Memorial BM58 Handicap over 1284m, the same race she was successful in last year.
Rain leading up to the meeting, resulting in a slow track favoured the mare, similarly to last year.
Three of her four career wins have now come on these surfaces.
Another key to the win was the return of Melissa Julius to the saddle, three of her past four rides resulting in wins on the mare.
After settling well back early, Melissa allowed the mare to tack onto the main pack at the 800m mark before making her winning move approaching the home turn.
It was evident upon straightening the race was over with the margin the only question.
A well-supported $2.70 favourite, she defeated the aptly named Thunderanlightning with Edgy Era in third placing.
Following last year’s win, Daniel aimed his sights on a meeting at Hamilton before winning again at Burrumbeet on New Year’s Day, a similar path looks a likely option once again.
A consistent mare across her 28-start career, she has now won four races and placed eight times for just over $86,000 in prizemoney.
Congratulations to all connections!

​Trustfall’s fantastic first-up win at Hamilton hopefully provided a good tonic for part-owner and breeder Dale Poyner.
The win has been an unfolding story over the best part of four years as explained later in this article.
Coming off two promising jumpouts during October, the 3YO son of Jukebox ran down odds-on favourite Hughie to win the 1100m Hamilton Flooring Xtra Maiden Plate.
In what was a lovely ride by regular stable rider Mel Julius, the pair positioned up behind the leading pair before going to the post under no more than hands and heels riding.
The ease of the win belied the $18 fixed starting price, where all three totes across Australia paid out beyond $20.
His only previous start at Bendigo in May, brought back unwanted memories of his mum Pink Pig, Daniel’s description of her not for printing.
He reared in the barriers and missed the start before trailing the field to the winning post.
Daniel wanted to quickly eliminate his debut experience based on his mother’s race day antics.
Dale also raced Pink Pig, who was initially trained by Austy Coffey, before landing with Daniel.
She had ability, winning a Mildura maiden with Austy, but her antics rendered her ‘run less’ with our stable.
Her only ‘nearly’ racetrack appearance for the stable was at Naracoorte where she reared behind the gates dislodging and was subsequentially scratched as an odds-on favorite.
From that point she was not re-instated to race and was retired to the breeding barn.
Dale’s mating with speedy sire Jukebox is the result we had the thrill of witnessing on Friday.
As Daniel explained, the win was a pleasing result all round.
“After all the antics of his mum, the breeding result and win is a great result for his owner Dale.
It’s all great satisfaction for myself and the team.
We had to be patient with the horse, a few little niggles and then the Bendigo episode, but the win makes it all worthwhile.”
Daniel will now look forward for some options in his age bracket.
“You would think a 3YO BM64 would be perfect stepping stone at this stage of his career.
Congratulations to Dale and his family.

​Ready Set Tap was finally able to reward her patient owners with a strong-finishing Maiden win at Hamilton on Friday.
Starting well in the market at $5 the 5YO daughter of More Than Ready swamped the leaders late to win the 1600m Midfield Meats Maiden Plate.
The mare has always been a consistent performer with the win coming after seven previous placings during her 15-start career.
Ridden by Neil Farley, the win also rewarded the combination who have been together for all but two starts during the past twelve months.
Seven starts,  for one unplaced run and a fourth, was rewarded with this terrific winning result.
Settling back just beyond midfield from a widish barrier, Farley was able to find a trailing lane with cover, albeit three-wide for a big portion of the race.
Approaching the home turn, runs were coming around him, but Farley held his nerve to follow race favourite Maunarente through the field.
Inside the furlong mark, he peeled off its back to nab the front runners right on the post.
Keeping it simplistic, Daniel was relieved with the win.
“Long overdue, she finally got everything go her way to win one, she’s been knocking on the door for a while.”
With a benchmark rating of 58, the natural progression is to find a suitable race over a similar trip during what is a busy time in the south-west.
Congratulations to all her patient owners!

​The engagement of one of Australia’s best-ever jockeys was a key component in Fortunate Kiss returning to the winner’s stall on Bendigo Cup Day.
A brilliant Damien Oliver ride landed the 5yo daughter of Divine Prophet a comfortable winner of the Bendigo Locksmiths BM78 Handicap over 1100m.
Her tendency to miss away from the barriers has meant the talented mare has produced many ‘black book’ performances opposed to landing a winning cheque for her owners.
At her first run since May, she was produced in outstanding order by Daniel and the team.
But the availability of Oliver was the key element for Daniel.
Speaking to Racing.com post-race, he was delighted to leg up the champion rider.
“She’s got good talent, she is a borderline group horse, but she just gives it away at the start every time. I’ve finally been able to get Ollie on her and if he couldn’t get her to jump, no one will.”
While Oliver was fully briefed about her barrier tricks, he did suggest the way the race shaped suited her racing style.
“Dan said she can be a bit tricky from the gates, she jumped ok today, but I did watch some replays and I got a feeling she liked a little ‘peek-a-boo’ ride like that, and we were able to work it out nicely today.”
A typical stalking Oliver ride, he followed all the major chances into the race, before peeling and bombing on all the leaders late in the race.
On his swansong tour before retirement later this year, the win was satisfying for Oliver.
“It was great to get a nice win for good people in Dan and his wife, they’re really good racing people, I don’t ride for him much, but nice to get a winner before I go out.”
Daniel has no specific plans for the mare, preferring to build on her regained confidence away from the elite gallopers.
“We are just happy to get her confidence back with another win, we will probably target that back end (Spring) into summer and try avoid some of the good ones, there are plenty of races around until after Xmas.”
Her third win from 21 starts took her prizemoney beyond $278,000.
Congratulations to all her patient owners!

A tenacious first-up win at Geelong may have earned consistent gelding Magnetic Prince another crack in the city.

First-up since an unplaced run at Mount Gambier in January, the 5YO son of Magnus held off all challengers to win the Geelong Taxi Network BM70 Handicap over 1418m by half a length.

A pleasing result for Daniel, the focus may now return to winning a city race.
“Yes, it was a good result, we will now probably try and find a similar grade race at Sandown on a Wednesday.”

A positive ride from Dean Yendall, including a clean break from the barriers help set up the win.
After beginning well and settling outside the leader Eluding, Yendall then applied pressure at the 600m mark.
From that point the pair kept driving to the post to record his third win at his sixteenth career start.
Yendall highlighted after the race that he was happy to go forward.
“He began cleanly, so I took that advantage and sat outside Johnny, it was just a steady tempo, and when I put him to the test early in the straight, he found the line strongly.”

Signs are that he can improve on his only city appearance, when beaten 2.2 lengths in a competitive effort at Sandown in July last year. A very consistent performer, he has only missed a top five finish three times with earnings just short of $80,000.

​Congratulations to his owners.