Kaleb bubbling

Young harness racing trainer Kaleb Bublitz will gear up his first runner The Merc (Royal Aspirations) at Addington on Friday night (Sep. 28) and he’s pretty excited about it.

“It’s going to be pretty cool getting out there in my own colours under my name for the first time. The colours are my great grandfathers on my Mum’s side. My uncle Mark Blackie trains in those same colours in the galloping code,” twenty three year old Kaleb, who will drive the young trotter said.

The Merc was bred by Alan and Fiona Clark and is out of the unraced Majestic Son mare Mercadante whose mother Pocaro (Sundon) won thirteen races including the G1 Three Year Old Ruby. She was good enough to win two races as a two year old.

Sire Royal Aspirations (Monarchy) was a smart two year old as well, taking out the Listed Yearling Sales Series and the Two Year Old Ruby which he won in a New Zealand Two Year Old record for 1609 metres of 1-56.5.

“He’s quite well bred and bred to run a bit, so hopefully we can go out and do that. He’s been a natural trotter all the way through and we haven’t had an issue with his gait. He’s had a good attitude there wanting to do it every time.”

Bublitz paid $12,000 for the colt at the NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Christchurch and the horse is a family affair with his father Andrew, mother Libby and sister Jordyn all involved in the ownership.

“Mum and Dad own thirty five percent, Jordyn’s got ten and I’ve got the rest. Steven Boyd broke him in for me. I didn’t have the time and the Williamsons had a lot of fillies around. He did his first prep there and then he came to me.”

Bublitz works for Oamaru master horseman Phil Williamson so he’s surrounded by plenty of sound trotting advice.

“I’m in the right place to be having a young trotter because there’s a wealth of knowledge with the Williamsons around me. So any time I’m stuck they’re there to help me out.”

Kaleb has held a junior drivers license for nearly four seasons and has driven five winners, the first being Our Pinocchio (Bacardi Lindy) for Phil at Ascot Park in October 2021.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink