Perennial bridesmaid seeking a maiden success

[Wandering Eyes]

Gavelhouse.com has become an integral source of thoroughbred racing stock for dual code trainer Trent Yesberg, who is set to line-up a couple of his online purchases in the coming days.

The Rangiora horseman is set to line-up perennial bridesmaid If I Get Paaid (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the Speights Summit Ultra On Tap Stayers Maiden at Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Thursday, and he is hopeful of a winning result.

Initially trained by Jamie Richards, If I Get Paaid transferred south to the care of Kimberley Hodgson after being purchased off Gavelhouse for $1,300, and subsequently found her way to the care of Yesberg earlier this year.

Having placed in her last five starts at Riccarton Synthetic over winter, she has proven to be an astute purchase by Yesberg, whose biggest concern this week is the step-up from 1400m to 2200m.

“She has been going great and is in really good form,” he said. “She is probably unlucky not to have won a race. It’s a big step-up in distance but I think she is more suited to 2200m because she is inherently slow away.

“She has only been over 2200m once and she ran fourth for her previous trainer. She is a better mare now and I think she will go well.

“It’s only a small field and my only concern is going from 1400m to 2200m, but I think she will be able to handle whatever they throw at her.”

Yesberg is a fan of the synthetic track and said horses like If I Get Paaid are prime examples of its importance over the winter months.

“All of my horses have performed well on the synthetic, I don’t have any gripes against it. The racing has been pretty even and genuine,” he said. “The heavy tracks at this time of year don’t really suit her so it is good to be able to have her racing.”

TAB bookmakers are confident If I Get Paaid can earn a winning cheque on Thursday, rating her a $1.80 fixed odds favourite.

Two days later, Yesberg will return to Riccarton Park to line-up another Gavelhouse.com purchase in Heading To Noosa, who will contest the Speight’s Summit Ultra On Tap Maiden (1400m).

The Headwater gelding was a $3,950 Gavelhouse buy and is starting to show promise in the south for Yesberg, who expects to see an improved result from his fourth placing at Riccarton last Saturday.

“He was pretty unlucky last start not to finish a lot closer as he got a pretty bad check,” Yesberg said.

“He is a horse on the up and didn’t show his ability early on and was a bit of a headscratcher, but with a bit of time to strengthen he has turned into a pretty handy maiden.

“Unfortunately, he has drawn out in barrier 17, which is definitely not ideal, but it might suit his style of running.”

The majority of Yesberg’s team have been sourced off Gavelhouse.com, including stablemates Allasera ($1,600m) and Super Moet ($3,900), and Yesberg said it is a great tool to source affordable tried racehorses.

“We are pretty active bidders, but we seem to be underbidders a lot of the time at the moment,” he said. “We are trying hard to grow our thoroughbred arm and it is a great avenue to source tried horses. I’m looking to grow as fast as I can.

“All the hard work has been done and we don’t have to go through the education process with them, so it is a great option.”

Yesberg began his career preparing standardbreds for the yearling sales before transitioning to training harness horses, and he has now expanded his business to include thoroughbreds, which has been welcomed by his clients.

“We have got about 150 owners and they have all got an interest in thoroughbreds and follow it,” he said. “Now they are putting their hand up for a small share here and there, which is really cool.

“We have had a bit of luck so far and have had some nice horses come along.”

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