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By Tony Megahey

The TAB Highway series continues to provide anecdotes from afar and Rosehill Gardens on Saturday has an engaging French flavour with rising trainer Lou Mary and bargain discard Piccinni.

Widely travelled Lou, raised on a farm in the magnificent Loire Valley in central France, is reverting Piccinni from an impressive 2000m staying double for an ambitious “crack” resuming from a spell at 1500m.

The emerging French connection at Scone revived the sacked four-year-old Pierro mare from an unruly maiden failure for 2000m wins in July at home and Tamworth by a total of seven plus lengths.

Piccinni scores at Scone for Grant Buckley. Image by Bradley Photographers

Piccinni ($13 on TAB) is on the 54kg limit in a 'Gardens $120,000 Class 2, 1500m with Alysha Collett, has drawn 19 but is certain to come in several barriers the way emergencies are drawn.

“Absolutely worth a crack with the form she was in last prep - wants further but she’s fresh from a 900m trial to run us a race, maybe top three or four,” offered Lou with his engaging French accent.

“We need a strong tempo and there usually is in Highways. We decided while it’s short of her best to come for that level prizemoney while she’s eligible.

“This race will bring her on.”

Lou came to focus winning a June Highway with $51 outsider Proverbial and timely winning on the same day at Newcastle with stablemate Nitride.

Then Piccinni followed with successive big wins.

Lou was raised riding from a toddler on a farm in proximity to the legendary city of Orleans where of course Joan of Arc had her most famous ride. Lou’s stable double brought exposure, new investors and expectations.

“We’re training capacity numbers and approved for more boxes at Scone, hopefully sooner than later. The region and facilities are brilliant for new trainers.

“But it’s been drawn out and we’re delaying more pre-trainers ready to come in and new owners. We offer them a dedicated team, starting to get more winners and racing in town.”

Lou expanded on the complete turnaround by Piccinni after he secured her on the cheap after she finished near last at long odds in a Tamworth maiden in August of last year.

“Quirky, difficult to train, but bred well enough; patience was the thing. The turning point was when she was more tractable we put her over further.

“Bred on staying lines and out to 2000m she was just dominant. On Saturday up in grade, we need a strong tempo.

“I don’t give jockeys instructions; Alysha rode her really well at Gosford last prep. In a big field I just want her relaxed in her comfort zone.”

Meanwhile, Lou was employed riding trackwork for stables in France, Ireland and England and finally to Australia, where he attained a degree in Equine Science.

And finally taking out a training licence in Scone with a small team in 2019 after working with Arrowfield Stud and also foreman for Gary Moore.

Lou is well acquainted with internationally renowned racing compatriot Jean Dubois, an original Highway winner who progressed to win the Group 2 Todman Stakes with Aylmerton.

Decades past, Parisian Jean and his father were as revered in European harness pacing as Cups King Bart Cummings in Australia.

“I met Jean when I first started training, I know of the family, back home they were so dominant for a long time in our biggest races.”

Rosehill Gardens is rated a Good 4 in fine weather.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Rosehill Gardens here