Harnessing success: Loader’s APG Gold Coast debut

Prominent owner Wayne Loader has rapidly expanded his broodmare band in recent seasons and will make his sales debut as a vendor at the APG Gold Coast sale with a quality filly from a prolific winning harness racing family on January 28. 

Loader said he had dabbled in harness racing ownership for two decades but had only gotten serious in the last five years. 

He has had incredible success with superstar filly Jewel Melody (1.51.2, $487K). He bought the Captaintreacherous youngster for $40,000 from the 2021 APG Brisbane Yearling Sale and she went on to win five Group 1 races as a two and three-year-old. 

Loader has also enjoyed a winning run with Eureka runner Ripp (1.50.4, $287K). The gelding has won 10 races, including the Group 1 APG 3YO colts final at Melton. 

He has broodmares based in Victoria, NSW and Queensland and was buoyant about the upcoming sales. 

“We started out with a few syndicates with cricket teammates and friends, but we have really grown the operation in the last four or five years,” Loader said. “We have gone from half a dozen horses to about 100. We have broodmares in Victoria, NSW and Queensland and we have 12 yearlings in the different sales this year. We put 22 mares in foal this year so we will have even bigger drafts coming through.” 

Loader’s Gold Coast offering (Lot 43) is a filly by Rock N Roll World from good race mare Joannie Pony (1.57.5, $62K), who has left three winners from four foals of racing age – including three-time Albion Park winner Joannies Girl (1.55.3, $80K). 

Joannie Pony is a half-sister to champion filly Distant Memory, who won 10 races as a two-year-old including the Group 1 Gold Tiara and Group 1 Vicbred final. The filly’s granddam Macrandra left 14 winners. 

Rock N Roll World had an outstanding debut season, producing 16 2YO winners in 2023, including smart fillies Lil Miss Crocker (3 wins, 1.58.4) and Secret World (2 wins, 1.57.3). He finished 12th on the national 2YO Sires list with earnings of $329,000. 

Loader believes the filly has a lot to offer buyers looking for an early winner. 

“We have seven mares in Queensland. Joannie Pony was one of the first mares we sent up there,” Loader said. “Her first foal, Joannies Girl, was a two-year-old winner and has been a consistent performer since going to Queensland. And her filly Platinum Jewel won four two-year-old races last season.” 

For full details and catalogued yearlings in the 2024 Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sales please visit our Online Sales Catalogue or Register as a Buyer now. 

From APG Ltd