Tayla Me wins mile

Bruce Stewart Journalist

Harness racing mare Tayla Me (American Ideal) proved she’s over her feet issues, and is likely to be a serious player in the SSBA Southern Belle Speed Series $30,000 final at Winton in April.

Trained by Brent McIntyre of Winton and driven by Craig Ferguson, the well bred four year old mare outgunned two of the more favoured runners in heat five of the series at Winton yesterday.

“She’s pretty smart. We’ve had trouble with her feet and we couldn’t find out what was wrong. I was getting blamed for shoeing her so I got Bruce Wallace (farrier) round to check things out and he couldn’t see anything wrong. He took the front shoes off and trimmed her frog and out came all this shit. The next day it happened with the other one so that’s why she hasn’t gone that good in her last two starts. She’s also had a stone bruise so today was the first time she’s been one hundred percent,” McIntyre said.

In yesterday’s $15,000 Mares Feature Ferguson blasted out from the gate and took up the role of pacemaker with Sophie (Bettor’s Delight) left parked and hot favourite Joes Rock (Racing Hill) slotting into the one one.

Turning in, Tayla Me had a two length buffer on Joes Rock who started to power home down the middle of the track. Although Joes Rock was closing fast, Tayla Me held on well to win by a half a length.

On an off day, the mile was run in a smart 1-54.1 with the last 800 metres cut out in 57.4.

“Give him the ammo and he does the job,” McIntyre said of the Ferguson drive.

Tayla Me raced in the Ferguson stable colours yesterday as McIntyre’s set had accidently been left at home.

“I picked them up to take them to the races and Bronson (Munro) said not to worry about the colours because he had them. It turned out he didn’t pack them,” McIntyre said with laughter.

Tayla Me is part of one of the most successful families in the stud book at present. She’s out of Revere Me (Bettor’s Delight) who’s a full sister to two millionaire pacers - Adore Me and Have Faith In Me.

She’s owned by Craig “Spud” Crosse.

“He’s a good client of ours and he bought her as a broodmare. She came down here to be put in foal and then raced out but we soon found out when she won her first race that she was too good to be just getting in foal.”