Ballerini off to New Zealand

Jilliby Ballerini (Majestic Son) will represent the powerful Ecklin South harness racing barn of Marg, Paddy and Jason Lee at next month’s $NZ400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion Trot in New Zealand.

The stable today confirmed plans for the brilliant four-year-old squaregaiter, who chased home star stablemate Keayang Zahara for second in Saturday night’s Group 1 Bill Collins Trotters Sprint at Melton.

Jilliby Ballerini will likely race in the Maryborough Trotters Cup on November 2 before flying out to take her place in the Dominion at Addington on November 11.

Now-retired champion Just Believe became the first Australian-trained horse in 41 years to win the Dominion when he prevailed last year with the late Greg Sugars in the sulky.

Prior to that, the last Aussie to win the time-honoured event was the Graeme Lang-prepared Scotch Notch in 1983.

A breathtaking victory in the Australasian Trotting Championship on October 4 at her first attempt from the standing start has given the Lee stable confidence to take Jilliby Ballerini to New Zealand, where she will chase her first career Group 1 success.

A decision has also been made to leave Keayang Zahara home to prepare for a tilt at a half-million dollar bonus through the Summer of Glory carnival.

The Victorian insured bonus series starts at Bendigo on January 10 with the $100,000 Group 1 Maori Mile. It moves to Shepparton (January 17), Ballarat (January 24), Cranbourne (January 31) and Kilmore (February 7) before the Great Southern Star at Melton on February 14.

Any trotter that can win four of the six legs in the bonus series, including the Great Southern Star, will claim the $500,000 cash payment.

Jilliby Ballerini has won 10 of her 23 starts, while Keayang Zahara is a winner of 17 from 18, including eight Group 1s.

Arcee Phoenix, for trainer-driver Chris Svanosio, and Parisian Artiste, for Alex Ashwood and Tayla French, are the other Victorians heading to New Zealand for the Dominion Trot.

by Tim O’Connor, for HRV