He is renowned for rejuvenating the careers of tried horses but trainer Joe Pride is also proving adept at selecting a yearling.
Most years Pride only buys a handful of young horses at the major sales.
But that might change if one of those finds, up-and-coming filly Unimpeachable, lives up to expectations.
Pride paid $30,000 for the daughter of Magic Millions winner Bradbury’s Luck at the 2011 Inglis Classic sale, despite going there intent on securing a colt.
“Every time I go to the sales I usually go with the intention of buying a nice colt and I always come home with a filly,” Pride said.
“I find the fillies a little bit easier to pick and one of them always catches my eye.
“A lot of it’s about their attitude. It’s a really big part of the female racehorse. It’s their attitude to racing that makes them special.”
Unimpeachable’s star is on the rise.
Second on debut at Wyong, she showed a dashing turn of foot to score in midweek city class at Kembla Grange.
She steps up to Saturday company in the TAB.com.au Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill in what looks a strong race with the unbeaten Chris Waller-trained pair of Royal Descent and Hoybell.
It will be a good test for Pride’s three-year-old, who also needs to cope with the rails draw and probably a rain-affected track.
Pride admits he is concerned by both.
“I think that’s the word of the day. I’m very worried about everything,” he said.
“She’s got a few things against her there.
“But she does have a good turn of foot and a good finish so hopefully we can rely on those things to keep her out of trouble.”
After Unimpeachable won at Kembla, Pride admitted to being nervous pre-race.
And not just because his wife Kylie is among the filly’s owners.
“Those sort of horses do make you a bit nervous,” Pride said.
“It’s exciting, but at the same time we’ve all been there before as trainers where we’ve thought a lot of a horse and they’ve let you down.
“That’s painful because you know it’s a fair way to your next chance to have a good horse. They don’t just come along every five minutes.”
If Unimpeachable measures up on Saturday, Pride is keen to aim her towards the Group Three Keith Nolan Classic (1600m) at Kembla on March 24.
