Permanent Vic base tempts Tassie stable

Tasmanian harness racing powerhouse Ben Yole is moving closer to establishing a permanent satellite base in Victoria, and that’s no surprise, with the stable punching out winners at a regular rate.

“We started sending a small team over to the mainland a few years ago, but this season has been exceptional – it’s certainly all going very well,” Yole said.

“Teaming up with Rob Walters at Kilmore was a great move and so far, we’ve managed 55 winners. The horses are being placed really well and we’ve been lucky to have the services of some of the best drivers going around.”

Yole, who is based at Sidmouth, in the Western Tamar Valley region of Tasmania, has also been flying the flag in his home state and recently prepared every winner on the eight-race card at Launceston last month.

After earlier this month recording his 1400^th career training win, Yole is well on his way to claiming his second Australian Trainers’ Premiership and enjoying his best-ever season.  He has 303 winners to his name this season, easily eclipsing last year’s stable record season total of 246.  Yole’s closest rivals in the national premiership are Victorians Emma Stewart (204) and Julie Douglas (166).

His success in Victoria this season has shored up plans for a permanent presence across Bass Strait.

“We worked out fairly carefully which horses would be headed across to Victoria this season.  We picked out those that went along okay and were lowly rated,” Yole said.

“Most of them are for sale and we’ve been swapping some backwards and forwards.”

Yole and his brothers grew up around horses with father Wayne heavily involved with the Hamilton Harness Racing Club in south-west Victoria.

“I learnt so much when I was young and starting off. I was with the Barker stable for a bit and Jim and his son Rod were great. Then there were stints with Kevin and Adam Brough along with Bob Mahncke,” he said.

“Adam was an under-rated horseman. He was just a perfectionist. He moved away from the industry and is doing well for himself working in West Australia.”

Yole got a job with Devonport owner Mick Maxfield after moving to Tasmania. Brother Mark completed Year 12 and went across for the 2006 Tasmanian InterDominion—and was invited to join Ben at the Maxfield stables. Mark has since established himself as a leading driver and prepares a small team of his own.

While Ben Yole is hugely represented at Tasmanian meetings (the stable recently had 75 runners at a meeting) he insists it’s a team effort behind the success.

“We’ve got a great bunch who make it work, including track work drivers, strappers, farriers, truck and float drivers, foremen, owners along with our race day drivers,” he said.

Hoofnote: Champion Queensland trainer-driver Grant Dixon holds the record for the greatest number of training winners in a season—a massive 380 victories prepared during season 2019/20.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink