Steeplechaser Regina Coeli kicked it off in Ballarat on Thursday with a win that signalled she is ready to make a mark at the Warrnambool May Carnival.

Maher then followed up with a double at Flem-

ington on Saturday, and Srikandi in the group 2 weight-for-age $200,000 Smeg Victory Stakes, 1200m, on the Gold Coast on the same day.

To keep the ball rolling, The Muckle Toon won for Maher at Kyneton on Monday.

Maher returns to Sports-Ballarat on Thursday with another two runners – Marlais in the Watch Living Racing Benchmark64 Handicap, 1600m, and Spirit Of The Dawn in the Hygain Benchmark70 Handicap, 1000m.

Marlais went back-to-back at Camperdown and Terang in January.

Spirit Of The Dawn was also a Camperdown winner in March.

Broadway And First will be among a large group of first-starters on the eight-race program in Ballarat. The colt lines up for Ballarat trainer Darren Weir in the Racing.com 2yo Maiden, 1000m. 

Broadway And First is out of Broadway Harmony, which was a listed winner for Weir.

Broadway Harmony had only five career starts but won twice, including the 2010 $100,000 Dequetteville Stakes, 1100m, at Morphettville.

Patrick Payne has a well-connected debutant in the same event. Katy Kat is a half-sister to four winners, including New Zealand-bred group 1 winner Arlington boulevard, who also won at listed level and was group 2-placed.

Ballarat trainer James Wardeiner will be hoping his first-starter Silent Dance can carry on the family’s winning tradition in the Porter Plant Maiden for 3yo fillies, 1100m. Silent Dance (by Skalato) is a half-sister to three winners – Sunny, Classy Francesca and Star Of Chloe.

ANDREW Payne has a strike rate he will certainly be enjoying. The Ballarat trainer has four wins from his latest eight starters.

Beauty Perception ($11) was the latest in a benchmark70 handicap, 2000m, at Ararat on Sunday.

This followed back-to-back successes by Newspaper in a bench-

mark 64 at Seymour on April 9 and benchmark 64 at Benalla on April 24.

That was part of a double at Benalla, where Junuh also saluted for Payne.

Beauty Perception joined his stable late last year and his best previous effort in a handful of outings had been a second in Ballarat.

While on Payne, one of his former stable runners, Bachelor Knight,

is part of a return to training ranks by Ron Gill in Ballarat. Gill  is best known for his association with Victoria Derby winner Stylish Century in the 1990s.

Gill is back training after a 10-year break and Bachelor Knight’s appearance in the Hygain Benchmark64 Handicap, 1400m, at Sportsbet-Ballarat will be his fourth starter.

david.brehaur@fairfaxmedia.com.au