Jilliby Ballerini gets her deserved Group 1 success

Classy harness racing mare Jilliby Ballerini (Majestic Son) finally broke her big race hoodoo with a brilliant all the way effort to take out the Group 1 $60,000 Aldebaran Park Sumthingaboutmaori Trot for mares at Melton on Saturday evening.

Stablemate to Australasia’s best trotter Keayang Zahara Jilliby Ballerini was runner up on five occasions to Zahara but last night there was no Zahara to encounter.

And Jilliby Ballerini didn’t let the chance go by. Driver Glen Craven let her stride out to trail the expected early leader Rockinwithattitude. But then Craven sent her around to the front and from there onwards it was a case of catch up to her rivals.

Last season’s outstanding three year old filly Tracy The Jet was eased back to the rear but driver James Herbertson let her go in the straight a lap out to issue a challenge to eyeball Jilliby Ballerini.

But the diminutive Jilliby Ballerini found another gear along the back straight to draw away and the race was in her keeping as they straightened up. At the finish Jilliby Ballerini had seven metres to spare over her promising stablemate Jilliby Dreamlover with Rockinwithattitude holding on for third placing.

JILLIBY BALLERINI APR 25 REPLAY

Jilliby Ballerini rated 1.57.6 for the 1740 metre trip.

A relieved Glen Craven commented after the event.

She’s probably the best unluckiest horse ever to strike Zahara so many times. So to come up every week it’s a credit to Marg Paddy and every one at home. To get her to back up as she does. She races in every fight. She went to New Zealand and come back she’s still sharp. So it’s a great credit to them. And I said she’s one of the unluckiest there is.

Even the Kilmore Cup it was Group 1 money but that didn’t get Group 1 status. So it’s such a relief she deserves a Group 1.

She was travelling pretty strong but when Tracy came around she wanted to get racing a bit hard but she just likes to bowl along. She’s used to chasing Zahara so she can run a good solid mile.

She’ll go back to Sydney next week to race over a mile and hopefully she can get a decent draw and do the same thing.

However its likely that Jilliby Ballerini will clash yet again with Keayang Zahara in the big Group 1 Macarthur Mile for mares and the latter is likely to start a prohibitive favourite to maintain her formidable record.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink