Braidwood thoroughbred breeder and now winning trainer Mary Bray saw potential in
Bernardini (USA) filly So It Is and purchased the three year-old for $30,000
from the Godolphin reduction at the Inglis December Thoroughbred Sale last
year.She had started twice for a third at Kilmore and a fifth at Pakenham, but Bray liked what she saw in those races believing the filly had a lovely action.
"She was midway through her spell so I gave her the requisite 10 weeks (for bone remodelling and getting back to full strength) and we brought her into work," Bray revealed.
"As I use the ETRAKKA system we could see from her first gallop that she had huge aerobic capacity and she also showed a fabulous turn of foot at the end of her work gallops – almost always working home in sub 12 second furlongs.
"We are pretty sure we have a filly with the potential to be competitive in some good races around the mile to mile and a half and to win a strong provincial 1400m maiden was impressive."
So It Is or 'Bernie' to her friends powered clear to win the 1400 metre maiden by a length and a half, giving Bray her first success as a trainer.
"Bernie has pulled up superbly – was trying to eat the grass in the mounting enclosure when needed for photos – ate all her dinner and is now being set for an 1580m 3yo Benchmark 67 at Canterbury on the 24th May," Bray continued.
"She may have one more start after that before going out for her 10 week spell and then hopefully peaking in time for the early autumn Sydney races next year."
Bray has previously achieved success as a breeder under her Cinque Cavalli banner producing numerous winners for others.
So It Is is a half-sister to three other metropolitan winners and is from a full sister to stakes-winner Greeting from the family of Group II winner Hello Darl.
