O'Brien Confident Of Strong Future Stars Showing

TRAINER Chris O'Brien says little separates littermates Justifiable and Notified ahead of Monday night's Ladbrokes Future Stars heats (400m) at Maitland.

Just 18 months old, Justifiable and Notified are by Fernando Bale out of Justifia, the dam sadly passing away late last year when her first and only litter of pups were just six-months-of-age.

"We lost her to a twisted bowel," said O'Brien.

"And she passed away the same day as her mum Tifia would you believe. She was getting on and her time had come to an end."

O'Brien makes the 4 ½ journey from Nowra Hill to Maitland on Monday night confident that his two Future Stars aspirants will give a good showing.

"I trialled them both there last Monday night and they broke the 23 seconds pretty easy," O'Brien said.

"I've got four of the litter and there's only one or two lengths between them.

"They do a lot right and are perfectly put together. They are still very young so I'm looking forward to what's ahead."

Heat two of the Future Stars sees Justifiable step out from box one  as the $2.4 favourite, slightly ahead of Good Odds Tyson for Frank Hurst at $2.80.

"He finished second in a heat of the maiden at Wenty the other week but a few things went wrong race day so I was very happy with the run," O'Brien said.

"Monday night from box one should be right up his alley. Last week's trials was the first time he and his sister had been a the horse shoe track as well.

"Justifiable has trialled 20.60 at Nowra – he goes very good."

Heat six of the Future Stars will see Notified debut from box six as a $3.6 second elect with favouritism held by Sound Of Silence, another Frank Hurst trained runner, at $3.1.

"She's got good early toe too," O'Brien said.

"It's hard when you don't know a lot about the others but she's doing everything right and trialled good. 

"I don't want to sound cocky but I'd be surprised if they don't both run well off how they went last Monday. They are showing a lot of promise."

In race eight, Steel Pulse, winner on debut at Nowra in 20.58, steps out in heat two of the Ladbrokes Muti Builder Stake (400m).

"He's got a lot of speed," O'Brien said.

"I'm confident the others in the litter will get a strong 500 but I'm not sure about this dog yet. He's pretty spent at the end of 400 but they're only very young still."

With strong chances at Maitland on Monday night, O'Brien has plenty going on at his Nowra Hill base, including some eagerly awaited arrivals.

"Banjo Tifia is due to whelp to Fernando Bale in two days – she's got a belly full," O'Brien said.

"I've got a 19-month-old litter of Collision's by Tifi For Me which are going good. They three-quarters to Feral Franky and Good Odds Harada."

Next week's Future Stars Final carries a cool $10,000 to-the-winner.

In 2018, Good Odds Harada won the race for Frank Hurst who has looks to play a strong hand in this year's rendition while last year's final was taken out by Drink Shoeys for Michelle Sultana in a race record 22.06.