Promising Debut Winner for Pierro

The Maher and Eustace stable sent out a hot favourite in the 1400m maiden at Warrnambool on Thursday and Lively (3f Pierro x Japhils, by Choisir) duly coasted home alone.

Ridden by Linda Meech, Lively took over with a furlong to run and skipped clear to win by three lengths.

“She went really well and I was very happy with her,” said Linda Meech.

“I trialled her about two months ago at Colac and I loved her. She missed the start that day and I was very impressed with her. The guys have done a great job with her and given her plenty of time.”

A $400,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Highgrove Stud draft, Lively is a half-sister to stakes-placed Perceptive and is the second winner from stakes-winning Choisir mare Japhils.

Lively looks a promising type for Pierro, who will have a runner in the $10million Golden Eagle on Saturday with quality stallion Osipenko (4h Pierro x Raskova, by Henrythenavigator) drawn well in gate eight and one of five runners in the race for champion trainer Chris Waller.

Osipenko was a good third in the Group I VRC Makybe Diva Stakes two starts ago behind Cox Plate place-getters Mr Brightside and Alligator Blood before finishing out of a place in the fast run Group I VRC Turnbull Stakes at 2000m won by Gold Trip, so could easily bounce back returning to his home track and dropping back in trip.