Bernie and Di Kelly’s lifetime of harness racing

Harness racing is full of wondrous stories where through one event or transaction that people’s lives can be changed.

One such example is back in 1960 when a young Bernie Kelly working as a building contactor went to construct a sheepyard for Max Allen at Leeton in New South Wales. There he saw and was offered a mare Illinois a five year old by Kimberline from Lucia’s Maid.

That was the beginning of a wondrous journey for both Bernie and his wife Dianne.

As a young man Bernie was involved in horses. “Dad was a butcher and I rode a horse to work commencing as a contractor.” “Dad had a few gallopers.”

Bernie got to know late Alan Harpley and he learned so much from him. “Alan was one of the best trainers for a standing start. He just had that ability to get a horse away from the strands.”

Bernie and Dianne became godparents to Alan’s son Bruce who worked for Bernie for three years. “He was a good reliable worker.” Bernie added.

Bernie also knew Russ Minchin and persuaded him to send Welcome Advice to Alan who became one of New South Wales most loved pacers and also one of the most prolific winners.

At around the same time Bernie went to Leeton he saw that blocks of land in the area of Coleambally were being auctioned off. So, in February 1960 Bernie drew Lot 7 and from there commenced his famous breeding and training establishment. Operations expanded as Bernie and his wife Dianne stood stallions including Select Yankee, Knowing Fame, Baron Gerard and Hilarion. At one stage they had 350 mares on the breeding side being served by the various stallion.

One of Illinois’s progenies was the filly Bernie’s Sister and she was the granddam of Waratah Way who in turn produced the first real star Lady Waratah (Walton Hanover) who was a very good race mare in her own right.

A winner of 20 of her 36 race starts, she was trained in her career by Bruce Harpley and numbered amongst her wins were the APG 2YO Final at Harold Park, the Crown Fillies 2YO Final at Cranbourne, the Gold Bracelet at Bathurst and then the Crown Fillies 3YO Final at Ballarat. She was retired as a four year old but the best was yet to come.

One of her first foals was The Baggy Green (Art Major) who won 17 races and at stud produced a number of winners including Stormryder (Captain Treacherous).

She also produced Some Waratah (Somebeachsomewhere) who won 37 races. But it was a neat brown filly foaled in November 2018 named Steno (Sweet Lou) that has proven to be a real star.

A more than handy two year old she won the APG 3YO Final at Menangle Park before she was transferred to Jocelyn Young’s stable in Western Australia. She has now won over $576,000 in a string of races highlighted by her gritty front running style. Her wins have included the Lord Mayors Cup and Norms Daughter classics at Gloucester Park. She will now come back to Sydney where she will be aimed for a number of races including the Queen Elizabeth Mile at Menangle in May as well as travelling to Queensland.

Another of Bernie’s Sister’s progeny down the line two generations was the smart mare, Miss Paula. She won 22 races and has been a grand broodmare. She left the Group 1 winner Albert Kelly (Albert Albert) who won 32 races and over $322,000 in stake money. Bruce Harpley considers him as one of the best pacers he has ever driven.

As a three year old Albert Kelly won Group 1 races namely the Vicbred 3YO Final at Geelong and then being successful in the Queensland Derby.

But it was another of Miss Paula’s progeny, the lightly raced Jackie Kelly (Albert Albert) who produced the Kellys’ most famous of runner, the mighty mare Frith (Four Starzzz Shark). Frith ended up winning over $1.18 million in 39 wins from 60 appearances.

Throughout her entire career Frith was always in the limelight and setting the harness racing alight with her dogged determination and fighting style. Bruce Harpley who trained and drove her for most of her career commented “She was that type of mare that once she went to the front, she just refused to let another horse pass her.”

And that was reflected in Frith’s efforts. She won three Group 1 events as a two year old and as a three year old put together an unbeaten streak of 12 races. In that winning streak she won the Victoria Oaks but no one can ever forget her amazing performance when just one month later in May 2013 she travelled to Western Australia for the WA Oaks. Despite being taken on, Frith showed that her usual customary courage in holding out all her rivals for a truly memorable win.

As a four year old she added more Group 1 glory taking out the Crown 4YO mares final at Melton and then she won two Ladyship miles at Menangle Park where in the first of her successes she recorded a scintillating 1.47.6. In her final appearance when she was going for her third Ladyship Mile she was just nailed on the line by A Piccadilly Princess.

At stud Frith has produced the very smart mare Peaceful (Sweet Lou) a winner of 8 races and racing in Western Australia in the Jocelyn Young stable.

For those in the Eastern states there is the familiar name of Dashing (Art Major) who has now 10 races including most recently the Leeton and Junee Cups for Bruce Harpley. The gelding is now in the stable of Luke McCarthy and has been recently making his mark in Sydney.

Bernie and Dianne moved to Wagga Wagga in 1996 after spending 36 years at Coleambally. These days Bernie can’t travel as much and his grandson Sam Stenning helps to break in and educate the seven pacers they have in work. Dianne still attends every Wagga harness race meeting with a group of friends.

Bernie and Dianne are very appreciative of all of the success they have achieved but maintain a modest and unassuming profile.

Theirs’s is a story that anyone in harness racing can connect with and that is someone who started from ground zero can achieve so much in their lifetime.

And it’s also an inspiration to everyone who follows the sport that when success comes to take that opportunity when it arises no matter when it comes.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink