Ebee Aviator breaks through for first win

Injury saw the then two-year-old Ebee Avaiator (Mr Feelgood) head to the breeding barn in 2019, but four-and-a-half years later she was back on the track, and on Monday July 8 at Pinjarra, she broke through for her maiden harness racing win, a story not often seen.

Bred and owned by Nicholas Taylor, the decision was made to send her to stud after just four starts as a two-year-old in 2019, but injury struck and her owner was left with the decision of whether to send her to the paddock for 6 to 12 months, or put her in foal, and for Taylor, the decision was an easy one, and three foals later she made it back to the track for another attempt at scoring that elusive first win and the Westbred bonuses on offer for it.

Ebee Aviator has the three foals on the ground now, the first a three-year-old gelding by Sportswriter named Bon Sport, a two-year-old filly by Soho Tribeca and a yearling by Always B Miki

Racing in consistent form for Sarah Suvaljko, the now seven-year0old was having just her seventh start for the stable, and after a last start second at Pinjarra the week prior, she went one better to break her maiden status.

“She’s going to win a few races, without being a superstar.” Suvaljko said.

Taking her time with Ebee Aviator who came into Suvaljko’s care in December 2019, Suvaljko mentioned that the then six-year-old had been in lunge work for a month prior to coming to her with Leanne Bolger.

“I did months of beach work; she took a long time to get her up and tighten up and tighten her up.”

With her past injury concerns, the process to getting her back to the racetrack has been a long one, but Suvaljko thinks she has worked out the perfect regime with her, keeping her away from the fast work track and racing her weekly to keep her fitness up.

EBEE AVIATOR REPLAY

Owner and breeder Nick Taylor has had a long association in the sport, working as an assistant to a book maker at Gloucester Park many years ago, and his passion has never wavered, revealing that he stayed up with friends in Canada to watch the race which was run at 2.19pm here in the west, equating to 2.19am in Canada.

On the day, Ebee Aviator won the Wally Barrett Memorial, with Wally sadly passing away two years ago.

A familiar face around the Pinjarra Trots, Wally made an appearance every week and was the club’s patron at the time of his passing.

Wally Barrett was a former President at the Shire of Murray between 2011 and 2015 and was an OAM recipient in 2017 for his service to local government and to the community of the Murray Shire.

Barrett’s family were on track on the day, led by his wife Anne, remembering the great man and honouring his memory through race five on the card.

For complete race results, click here.

by Ashleigh Paikos, for RWWA