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Aristocratic Gal gifted the staying gene for Tzouvelis

12 November 2020

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By Isaac Murphy

Aristocratic Gal has perennially been the bridesmaid rather than the bride for the majority of her career.

But given the saying company she’s tackled in the last couple of months, there’s no shame in that for Tommy

Tzouvelis’ bitch, who’s a live chance in Thursday night’s Eddie Little Appreciation over the rarely used 732 metre staying trip at Ipswich.

Placings to Rose Ali and the air borne Micks Recall read as good form and she was rewarded with a well deserved breakthrough from box eight over the seven hundred last start and hopes to produce a similar front running effort from the same draw tomorrow night.

“She’s the type of dog you love in your kennel, she’s no superstar, she’s a bit of a one pacer over the staying trips, but you look at her results and she just puts in every week against top dogs,” Tzouvelis said.

“The distance is no worry with her she’s an out and out stayer and will put up a fight when something tries to go past her, she just doesn’t have that extra gear at the end of her races that real good stayers can call on.

“It’s pretty crucial she gets away first sets up a bit of a lead and gets into her rhythm, if she gets crowded she’s not going to run on, but she’s been doing a great job of making her own luck out in front.”

The staying trip at Ipswich is regarded as the toughest in Australia and the bitch will have to tackle more than a couple of well credentialled distance dogs.

“I’d say on form she’s probably third pick in the Eddie Little Appreciation, Waikarie Bell has shown she’s a class above recently at Albion Park and Jimary Dynamite as well is a more traditional stayer, both of them have that turn of foot late in their races,” Tzouvelis said.

“The other bitch to keep an eye on is Stellar Stone for Jamie Hosking, she beat us fairly easily at Albion Park a couple of weeks ago but tends to mix her form a bit, that kennel is going terrific at the moment and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her run a race.

“Our advantage over those other dogs is the early speed, we find a full field of eight stayers and the three I’ve mentioned will all probably get well back, if that’s the case we’re definitely a chance of pinching it.”

Tzouvelis said if his stayer was ever going to win a race like the Eddie Little it was now, tough runs week in week out have her hardened for the task.

“The race couldn’t have come at a better time for her we’ve had her up over the distance for a good couple of months now, her fitness will be spot on and she’s drawn perfectly out there in box eight,” he said.

“I think there’s still a little bit of improvement in her, but not a huge amount, as I mentioned before she’s always lacked that turn of foot but she’s just about to turn three and if she can consistently run around 42 seconds over the seven hundred at Albion and 35 seconds over the six hundred she’s going to make a very good earner.

“On top of that we’ll keep a look out for special events like this and just try to place her well, it’s a ripping card tomorrow night and I’m glad to be a part of it.”