‘Exceptional' Trials Have Siblings Set For Megastar

"EXCEPTIONAL" was how the locals described the box to box trials at Dapto by littermates Poco Rico, Both Bowers Ace and Get's Late Early in preparation for Thursday night's heats of the Group 1 Ladbrokes Megastar (520m).

"There was nothing between the three of them in their trials," said trainer Minnie Finn ahead of the group 1 heats.

"They all went about 5.30 for the first section and low 17s down the back.

FIELDS AND FORM DAPTO THURSDAY

"The locals all said those runs were exceptional, especially as it was blowing a gale."

Minnie has Poco Rico in box three in the opening heat, Might Have Been in box six in the second, Secrets Revealed in box six in heat three, Great Flash in the six and Both Bowers Ace in the seven in heat four.

Gets Late Early has drawn the red in heat five.

Minnie says Gets Late Early, winner of 17 races and $180,000 including the Group 1 National Futurity, is her best hope.

"But, she keeps drawing the red and is desperate for the eight box," she said.

"But, you know what Dapto is like.

"Get around the first turn and you are OK. Having the red at Dapto means she is better off."

She believes Both Bowers Ace is well placed in the seven in the fourth heat.

"It does not matter where he is drawn," she said.

Minnie and her late husband, John Finn, were represented by Zipping Kyrgios in the Dapto Megastar back in 2021.

"He nearly broke the record in his heat running 29.40, but then came up with box six in the final and that's where he finished behind Ritza Donna," she said.

Of course, Zipping Kyrgios did go on to win 32 races and $590,000 and within a nose of winning the Million Dollar Chase.

Minnie said she had planned to run a number of others from the kennel at Dapto.

But when she saw the early nominations were short for the Richmond Regional Million Dollar Chase series, she pulled out those others and put in Richmond nominations instead.

Gets Late Early, Both Bowers Ace, Poco Rico, Secrets Revealed and Might Have Been are all from the great Flying Ricciardo-Poco Dorado litter that has won 99 races and earned $697,000.