Mary Bray in it for the long haul with exciting filly So It Is
MARY Bray is hoping that her lightly raced filly So It Is can mix it with the best over the staying trip next preparation.
Until then the Southern Tablelands trainer’s dreams are focused on the near future, with a city win at Canterbury Park on Wednesday a real possibility for the daughter of Bernardini and Petitions.
So It Is comes into the 1580m handicap with just four starts to her name – the most recent being a strong victory over seven furlongs at Kembla Grange earlier this month.
Bray said she was delighted with the effort and believes So It Is can handle the rise in class this week.
“The win last start was what we were expecting from her when she got up on top of the ground – we use the E-Trakka on her, which gives us information on her heart rate, recovery and speed – so we knew that she was in fine form and that she could finish off well,” Bray told Horse Betting.
The three-year-old was purchased by Bray at a Darley dispersal sale after just two starts on the synthetic surface in Melbourne.
“Darley bred her and had her for her first two starts and then put her through a tried horse sale, which is where I bought her – I own her with my husband and my stable hand,” Bray explained.
“She was a late foal – born in November – and she is bred to stay, so you couldn’t have expected her to do much before she was three.
“She has a fantastic staying profile – 1400m is probably the shortest she would ever want to race over – and she is just going to get better the further she continues to race over.”
With Jay Ford taking the ride this week, Bray says she doesn’t plan on pushing her prospect too hard this preparation, but does expect a bold run.
“We’ve got Jay on board – he rode her a treat at Kembla, so hopefully he will be on her for the rest of her career because he rides her beautifully.
“She will cruise – she will relax in at the back from the wide gate and hopefully be finishing off late.
“I think she will be even better next preparation – I will probably only give her the one more run after this week before she has a spell.
“I am hoping to get her to Randwick on June 10 over 2000m in a three-year-old race, but it will all depend on Wednesday and how she pulls up.”
So It Is holds a special place in Bray’s heart, with her victory at Kembla Grange also the first win for her trainer who has always had a passion for racing and had saddled up just five runners before breaking through for her maiden success.
Bray said she loves working with the horses one on one, with a small team currently in work on her Braidwood-based property.
“I first got involved in the industry in the 70s when I used to visit my uncle’s farm up at Scone – from there I got into the breeding industry,” Bray explained.
“I got into nursing and IT for a while, but I made my way back to breeding nine years ago – horses have always been the passion for me.
“In 2015 I decided to start training – the breeding was not paying and I spoke to a few people who encouraged me to give it a go.
“I had the setup so I decided to have a crack – right now I have three in work and I have a couple more to come in over the next few weeks.
“I have quite a few youngsters coming through at the moment which I have predominately bred and there is a couple of very nice looking horses there so hopefully it is onwards and upwards.
“None of our horses are stabled – they all have their own grass paddocks so it is a nice, healthy lifestyle for them.”
Despite being relatively new to the training game, Bray says she can see plenty of potential in So It Is and is hoping the bay youngster has a bright future ahead.
“All indications are that she is going to make a nice horse and I genuinely think she is stakes class – however it is horse racing and anything can happen so we just have to keep our fingers and toes crossed.
“We have a lot of faith in her – she is a lovely horse to train – she does everything you ask her to.
“She is just a cracker.”