Aliza Hill is going great guns for Gledhill

Six-year-old mare Aliza Hill (Racing Hill) certainly hasn’t been rushed with her racing – but her patient breeder-owner-trainer Mark Gledhill is now reaping the rewards.

Aliza Hill must certainly be one of regional Victoria’s most improved mares of the past six months.  After managing three wins in three seasons of racing, she has now won five of her past 10 since September last year.

“She’s been going pretty good since Herbie (driver James Herbertson) got on her, but I think it’s probably more than that too.  I think he got on at a good time as well, because she’s matured at last and seems to have hit her straps,” Gledhill said.

“Her body’s got bigger and stronger, and I think she can keep improving a bit yet,” he said.

Aliza Hill has plenty of speed from the mobile and Herbertson hasn’t been afraid to work her early to reach the front, where all five of her recent wins have come from.

“I think she deserves a chance at Melton perhaps in the winter, but we’ll just keep poking around the country for the time and see what James’ assessment when we get up to that class,” Gledhill said.

“She’s got gate speed, but she can come from behind as well.  For the time being though I think we’ll keep looking out for races on the little tracks where we can manipulate a draw for her – perhaps Birchip or Boort next,” Gledhill said.

Aliza Hill is the first foal from Abstract Lady (Modern Art), a half-sister to the 17 times winner ($118K) Northern Danjaro and from a bloodline Gledhill said goes back to Koala King.

“We raced her mother and grandmother, so we’ve had the breed for a while.  Her mum was fairly handy (six wins), but had a bad back, so that limited her racing,” he said.

Gledhill, who is based on the family property at Coomboona and works as an operations manager for a Shepparton transport company, followed his father and grandfather into harness racing.

“I trained my first trials winner when I was 12 and drove my first race winner when I was 16, so I was pretty keen.  I had a career in finance that ended up pretty much taking me away from it for a fair while,” he said.

“But when I came back home to the farm it was a chance to get more involved again and it’s a real family affair. My mum is the number one stable hand.  She’s 86 but she reckons no one else can do the yards as good as her – and you don’t argue with her when she’s got a pitchfork in her hand!

“My brother Gavin gives me a hand too.  We’re working two now, and I break a few in and do some second preps to pay the feed bills.

“The horses are a great outlet, but working full time means I’m out at the stables at 3.30 in the morning – I have to chase the kangaroos off the track to get out there!”

The Gledhills have raced some handy horses over the years, including Our Odette, who Mark ranks as one of the most capable he’s bred.

“She ran second in a consolation of the Breeders Crown when she was two, then won one race at three before she pulled a tendon off her back leg – but she was pretty handy,” he said.

“We only breed our mares every couple of years, and she’s the mother of Our Christiano (six wins) who we’ve just retired.  I’ve now got her second foal, a Poster Boy yearling to break in, and I’m looking forward to seeing how he goes.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink