Bargain buy a missed opportunity

A BARGAIN buy has gone begging based on last Saturday night’s Australian Pacing Gold Classic at Globe Derby.

After his daughter of Always B Miki and Ideal Taxes failed to attract a bid during the sale, breeder Neville Ismaili returned home somewhat disappointed.

What Ismaili didn’t realise is fate had done him a favour.

Deciding to keep the filly, Ismaili sent the youngster to Trevor Patching to be broken in, with the astute Victorian horseman then taking on training duties.

“Neville put her in the Sale, but she never got a bid so he brought her home and asked me to break her in,” Patching explained. “Given she was eligible for the APG races, I kept going with her with that in mind.”

Making her debut in the APG Fillies’ Classic at the same venue on June 6, the two-year-old – now none as Ideal Miki – finished second behind local pacer South Aussie Star.

Returning for the mixed Classic, Ideal Miki proved too good with Dani Hill in the cart.

Leading throughout from the pole, Ideal Miki cruised to a soft 10-and-a-half metre win from Chiara Mara.

Mya Quick was six-and-a-half metres away third as the winner rated 2:02.3 over 1800 metres.

“We drove her a bit too cautious in her first start and looking back we would’ve driven her differently, but we’re all geniuses in hindsight,” Patching said.

“She’s had a long campaign, and is at the end of her tether, so I’ve already put her in a paddock.

“She’ll have three months off and I’ve got no doubt she will come back better next time.

“She is a really light-framed filly, which has got a lot of speed, she just needs to add some strength, which hopefully will come with age as she bulks up.”