French import scores on debut at Bendigo
French import Pilote D’Essai has scored a first-up Australian win for Lindsay Park.
Co-trainer Tom Dabernig said the four-year-old had a touch of class after coming from the back of the field to win the All Seasons Hotel Handicap at Bendigo on Saturday.
Ridden by Nick Hall, Pilote D’Essai ($5) scored by two lengths from the favourite Here To There ($3.80) with Tristram’s Sun ($26) 1-1/4 lengths away third.
“With these imports sometimes you never know what you’re going to get and we were pleasantly surprised,” Dabernig said.
“He’s got a good appetite, a good constitution and he’s only going to get better as the races get longer.”
Dabernig said Pilote D’Essai was found in France by Austute Bloodstock’s Louis Le Metayer and purchased for around $300,000 for a syndicate put together by Mark Pilkington.
He said the Bendigo track has been the scene of other stable imports kick off their campaigns including Spillway and Jetway.