Aussie stable snippets

Principal of the state-of-the-art harness racing operation Yabby Dam Farms Pat Driscoll has added another string to his bow.

The Ballarat-based standardbred operation, headed by joint trainers Anton Golino and Jack MacKinnon, was on fire last week with four square-gaiter winners from three meetings.

But a gallops victory at the weekend put the cream on the cake.

Four-year-old mare Etoile Brillante scored an impressive victory at the Donald meeting on Sunday-the first in the thoroughbred code for Yabby Dam Farms.

Prepared by Archie Alexander, the mare took out the $35,000 3YO and Upwards Maiden. The successful jockey was Declan Bates.

A powerhouse in the harness racing industry, Driscoll has had phenomenal success with pacing and trotting winners and would have been delighted to cheer home his gallops winner.

Driscoll grew up around horses as his dad had a few thoroughbreds and he actually rode track work as a teenager before studying accountancy.

Since establishing the Yabby Dam training headquarters at Cardigan, near Ballarat, Driscoll has won a total of 69 Group races-19 of these being Group Ones.

Gallops trainer Archie Alexander is one of a handful preparing horses for Yabby Dams at the Ballarat racecourse.

Trotting stallions Dreamcatcher and Always Ready, earmarked for long term futures at stud, are putting it all together on the racetrack with Kilmore victories on Friday. Swedish-bred son of Love You, Dreamcatcher made it two wins after returning from a four year break. Stablemate Always Ready (by Ready Cash) has now won eight of 11 starts this season.

Dance Craze (Muscle Hill-La Coocaracha) zoomed up the sprint lane to win the Lenin FFA group 3 at Melton on Saturday–her 23rd win in 44 starts for $520,000. Three-year-old filly Hopeful Beauty (Brilliantissime (Fra)-Beauty Life (Fra) was impressive at Charlton on Monday with an easy win for Jack MacKinnon.

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There’s no secret that South Australian harness racing brothers Darren and Mark Billinger are fierce competitors.

Whether it’s on the track or out on the golf course for the weekly grudge match, the traditional sibling rivalry is never too far from the surface-in a gentlemanly way of course!

“Darren’s too good for us out on the fairways. He’s got the experience over me because he’s the older brother,” Mark said.

“I have to give him his dues, though, he is playing some great golf at the moment.”

But Mark said it was a nice feeling to turn the tables on Darren at a Globe Derby meeting earlier this week.

“I really did get a kick out of it. It was close, real close but I got up there’s no doubt about that. Darren is still wanting to look at the official photo-finish!” he said.

Mark landed Steinman (Rock N Roll Heaven-Northern Courage (Courage Under Fire) at 5/1-defeating Darren by a short half head on race favorite Whatabro. BOTH pacers are trained by Darren, who obviously had the choice of drives.

A long-priced winner later on the program gave Mark a winning double for the day. He got the money by a head with Michael Harding trained Princess Lil (Smiling Shard-New Age Babe (Armbro Operative) in the 2yo Pace.

Princess Lil started at 35/1 and was impressive in winning in 2.00-7.

Driving honors for the meeting went to champion SA reinsman Wayne Hill who scored a treble with My Used To Be, Ceejay Success and Booker Bay.

**Harness Racing SA Ltd announced late yesterday that as a consequence of the current Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, race meetings and trials for Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday have been abandoned.

Mark Billinger returns to scale after winning with Steinman at Globe Derby–beating his trainer-driver brother Darren (Whatabro) by a lip. Both horses are trained by Darren. (Walter Bulyga Photography)

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Expatriate Aussies Shane and Lauren Tritton continue to methodically build success in their adopted new home in New York.

The stable celebrated a “small milestone”, with a win in both the open class for entires and geldings, and the open class for mares events at Yonkers in the past week.

Former Aussie free-for-aller San Domino (Somebeachsomewhere – Reggae Miss (Maple Lanes Strike) has been racing in the US since May last year. He was transferred to the Tritton barn last month and brought up the first leg of the milestone double at Yonkers on November 7. San Domino had won 14 races in Australia before being sent to the USA and has now managed three victories in just six starts for Team Tritton.

Another ex Aussie, former Perth mare Lady Dela Renta (Well Said – Flylike Bird Lombo (Jet Laag) has been a model of consistency for Team Tritton, winning six of her eight starts for the stable since August. She again got the job done, taking out the Mares Open Class on Saturday and bringing up the second leg of the double.

The wins took the team’s season record to 49 wins 29 seconds and 22 thirds (from the 178 starts since they started racing in May) and pushed the stakemoney tally over the $500,000 mark for the season – now at $515,628.

Shane Tritton said his behind-the-scenes staff at the Pine Bush stables played no small part in the consistency of the team.

“All of the staff and connections are a part of this little landmark week for us – we couldn’t do it without them. And Jordan Stratton as well for his inch-perfect drives!” Tritton said.

The wins were part of an extra special week for the couple, who announced they are expecting a daughter in April next year – a sister for their young son Levi.

Lady Dela Renta and driver Jordan Stratton teamed up to take out an open mares $25,000 event at Yonkers for Team Tritton.

 

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura