Aaron Purcell is no stranger to taking phone calls from prospective owners wanting to talk about their horses but the Warrnambool-based trainer is glad he answered  the call relating to an unruly mare called La Lova. The four-year-old with apprentice jockey Chelsea MacFarlane in the saddle notched up her second win from six runs for Purcell when she won a $25,000 restricted race over 1200 metres at Ballarat on Sunday.

“I just got a call out of the blue from the owners of La Lova,” he said. “The owners wanted me to train her. She was a real hot head when we got her. I’ve got to give all the credit to my staff they’ve done a great job in settling La Lova down. She’s got a fair bit of ability. I dropped her back in distance to 1000m at her last run at Casterton and that never helped her chances. She really appreciated the 1200m at Ballarat. I’ll try and find a suitable sort of race in a fortnight for her.”

The only downside of La Lova’s win was a $500 fine handed down to MacFarlane for using her whip nine times prior to the 100m mark which is four times more than permitted.

La Lova took her stake money earnings to more than $36,000 with her Ballarat win.

Meanwhile, Purcell was happy with the third placing of Zoffman in a maiden hurdle at Coleraine on Sunday.

“Zoffman’s had two runs over the hurdles,” he said. “I’m confident he’ll come back an improved jumper next season after the experience of the two jumps races. We’ve got a couple of other young jumpers in the stable who look promising.”

DENIS Daffy laughs off suggestions he should be called the bionic man.

The 77-year-old Camperdown horse trainer has resumed training again after recovering from having his right hip replaced eight weeks ago.

Last year Daffy had a left knee replaced and five years ago had his left shoulder reconstructed.

“I was in a lot of pain with my right hip,” Daffy said. “It’s just incredible what they can do to your body now. I’ve got to thank specialists and staff up at South West Healthcare, they have done magnificent jobs with all my operations. I’ve only got the two in work but I was really missing just being outside with the horses.”

Daffy’s comeback galloper Dexter’s Command rain second in a maiden at Penola on Sunday and the he hopes the four-year-old will go one better at his next start.

“Dexter’s Command is no world beater,” he said. “He’s only a little pony who is still immature. I think he wants more ground than the 1600m he ran over on Sunday. We’ll try and find a distance maiden with him over the next few months at one of the non-TAB meetings.”

Dexter’s Command has collected more than $4600 in prizemoney from his seven starts.

TRAINER Josh Julius joined forces with his sister apprentice jockey Melissa Julius to win a restricted race with Dubai King at Tatura on Saturday.

Julius, who moved to Bendigo more than three years ago to continue his career as a trainer after training in Warrnambool said it was great to have Melissa to ride the nine-year-old.

“It’s more than three years ago that I moved to Bendigo,” he said. “It’s been a good move. The facilities at the track are always improving and I think with time Bendigo will be one of the key training centres in regional Victoria. We’ve got a good stabling set up here and things are going to only improve. Dubai King has been a great bread and butter horse for his connections. It was great to have Melissa to ride the horse. She’s got a great understanding of Dubai King. I think she’s won three races on him now. We may back Dubai King back up in the Gunbower Cup in a fortnight. We’ll just wait and see how he pulls up. I’ve got other country cups like the Avoca and Manangatang Cups on the agenda for hi: over the spring.”

From his 56 starts, Dubai King has won 10 races and also has amassed 15 minor placings.

FORMER Warrnambool-based jockey Nikita Beriman was found guilty by  stewards of a careless riding charge at Tatura on Saturday. The stewards found Beriman near the 400m mark permitted Powersati to shift out when not  sufficiently clear of Rare Air – tightening that mare onto Rule Of Three. Beriman had her licence suspended for a period to commence at midnight on September 28 and to end midnight October 9. Stewards deemed the incident to be in the mid-range.

LUCKY FOR ALL: he raced greenly in the straight before finishing second in an 1800m race at Caulfield on Saturday. He needs to repair his manners – once he does he’ll win again. LEATHER ‘N’ LACE: she was slow to begin in a 1200m race  and appeared to be blocked for a run in the straight. She’s had two runs from a spell and is ready to improve. TANITIAN DANCER: promising filly who powered to the line in a 1400m race at Caulfield. She’s still learning the racing caper – once she puts it all together wins will follow. The biggest problem is there will be no $100 on offer from the bookies the next time she supports silks. PATRICK PAYNE: capped off a big jumps season winning a maiden hurdle with Sweet Lullaby at Casterton on Sunday. Payne will now concentrate on his flat runners over the spring and summer. His stable has many well bred young horses ready to run over those months and will pay to keep an eye on.