Bonanza for Ballarat trotting breeder

A breeding program based on careful planning when selecting broodmares and suitable stallions, good diet and good pastures reached a crescendo for Ballarat breeder Pat Driscoll at Melton on Saturday night.

Driscoll’s Yabby Dam Farms bred an amazing four harness racing winners on the night including three of the four Nutrien Equine Classic Trotting series in Sam Nien and Tracy The Jet, who took out the $125,000 Finals for three-year-olds, and Jilliby Aura, the winner of the $75,000 decider for two-year-old fillies.

Tracy The Jet, who completed a clean sweep of the series, lifted her stake tally above the $100,000 mark with her commanding win in the Listed Classic.

Driscoll also figured as the breeder of Lady Vici, who led most of the way to win the Yabby Dam Farms Trot, her eighth success from just nine attempts.

Tracy The Jet and Sam Nien sold for $70,000 and $30,000 respectively at the Nutrien Melbourne sale in Melbourne in 2023, while Jilliby Aura was purchased for $20,000 at the 2024 auction.

“It was a terrific result for the farm,” Driscoll said. “Nutrien Equine deserve a round of congratulations for putting on such a great night.”

Yabby Dam Farms has brought out seven individual winners of the Nutrien Equine Classic series to date. Their earlier winners were Derek The Jet (2024 – 3YOC&G), Valtino (2023 – 2YOC&G), Tradie Lady (2023 – 3YOF) and The Locomotive (2022 – 2YOC&G).

Volstead leads all stallions with four winners of the series in Prohibited Grace (2024 – 2YOF), Maori’s Mac (2024 – 3YOF), Sam Niem and Derek The Jet.

Driscoll said that one of the cornerstones of his success was his long term approach to breeding.

“Our goal is to make each mare produce their best foal possible taking into account speed, stamina, conformation, size, correctness and temperament,” he said.

• Naturally Gifted, who was bred by Benstud Standardbreds, became the fastest Australian bred pacer of all-time when he clocked 1:47.4 winning a $13,000 race at Scioto Downs, Ohio on Saturday

• Trotting broodmare Charlotte Galleon, owned by Swan Hill identity Gerard Moloney, left winners on both sides of the ‘ditch’ last weekend. Royal Charlotte notched win No. 16 at Geelong, while Loteria won for the third time at Auckland

• The siblings Spun Silver and Altius, who were both bred, owned and trained by young horsewoman Alex Hurley, won at Geelong and Bendigo respectively

• The win of Howdy Mate in the $75,000 Nutrien Equine Classic final at Melton has vaulted his sire Elite Stride to the top of the two-year-old trotting sires’ list. Elite Stride stands at Alabar Bloodstock, who bred Howdy Mate

by Peter Wharton for Harness Racing Victoria