Fortune favours the brave: Yabby Dam mare claims Golden Gait spoils

The difference between winning and losing in harness racing can often come from a split second judgement (or lack thereof).

In tonight’s inaugural running of the Golden Gait Series at Alexandra Park, we bore witness to that very fact in the first race on the $1million ten race programme with Cyrstal Hackett producing a peach aboard the Wallis/Hackett trained Belle Neige (Love You).

Drawn one the second line over a mile isn’t a death sentence provided the horse you are following out has a bit of speed. The Roydon Downey trained Saninarmbro (Dejarmbro), while not slow away, was unable to hold out the challenges of Love On Line (Love You) and Shesgold (Love You) who were drawn to her immediate outside.

When both Love On Line and Saninarmbro rolled into a gallop inside the first 100m, the likelihood of Hackett’s charge, Belle Neige copping some of the backwash was pretty high if not for the nifty bit of reinsmanship shown by the young junior driver.

You see, when the mobile arm was released, Hackett made her winning move with the realisation that Tony Herlihy and Monarch Hill (What The Hill) had failed to score up behind Love On Line (2) on the front line. And while it was only a length and a half in it, there was enough space for Hackett to immediately get off the pegs and into the running line.

By the time the early mistake makers had drifted back through the field, Hackett was sitting pretty in the trail on the back of the more fancied stablemate, Shesgold and Todd Mitchell.

“It was a brilliant drive,” said Hackett’s Mum and co/trainer of Belle Neige, Michelle Wallis.

“When she drew one the second line I honestly thought that would have diminished her chances, but Crystal (Hackett) just drove her to perfection and when she got the trail, I thought, oh, I might have tipped the wrong one here,” she laughed.

The four-year-old mares owner, Pat Driscoll agreed on both counts, for one not giving his repatriated blue blood much hope, and secondly, gushing with praise when discussing the silky steer of Crystal Hackett.

“I was actually out visiting some stud farms and didn’t think we had much chance tonight so I thought I would watch the replay a bit later on but I got a text and just watched the replay and it was terrific. It was a good run, a great time and I think she might have a little bit more in store for us as well,” said Driscoll.

“The drive from Crystal to get off the pegs early and then lob the trail was magnificent and evident of someone who is driving with a lot of confidence. I think the like of the junior driver series she has just contested and her experience in big races in the last couple of seasons is really shining through,” he said.

While a lot of credit has gone to the driver, and rightly so, Belle Neige was powerful up the Alexandra Park lane to rein in the low flying Shesgold who looked to have found a kick at the top of the straight.

Hackett chose not to take the passing lane, but balanced the flashy mare up to the outside of the leader and won going away easily at the finish by a margin of one and three-quarter lengths.

BELLE NEIGE REPLAY

It was the second win in six New Zealand starts for Belle Neige who won on debut for Driscoll and co with only one unplaced finish in her four subsequent starts leading into this evenings $100,000 final evidence this win was no flash in the pan.

You only have to look at the maternal line to get an idea of the breeding of Belle Neige, who descends from the Hall Of Fame broodmare, Maori Miss. She is obviously the dam of the legendary Maoris Idol as well as being responsible for one of the greatest influences on the Australasian trotting breeds spanning nearly six decades.

“She is obviously well bred being a half to Revelstoke ($210,075) and being a Love You we thought she might take a bit of time. The team along the way have done a very good job with her to get her to where she is today,” said Driscoll.

“When her dam (Maintoba Miss) was a three-year-old, we thought she was the equal of Dance Craze but she kicked out at a shelter and cut her leg and never raced so we always thought she had a lot of ability and it’s good to see that coming through in her stock,” he said.

Belle Neige is the second foal from her dam, but at time of writing is also just the second live foal. From 2019 to 2023, Manitoba Miss has failed to produce a foal. Fortunately for Driscoll, with a bit of luck, it doesn’t look like that trend will continue for much longer.

“She is in foal to Face Time Bourbon now via embryo transfer. For whatever reason she cant carry a foal herself but we will be thrilled to get a healthy colt or filly from the surrogate next year,” he said.

They say fortune favours the brave and Driscoll deserves a lot of credit for sending a team of high calibre trotters across the Tasman. It was rather ironic then that aside from being rewarded with the lion share of the spoils in the first ever Golden Gait race, the man taking home the winners cheque was also responsible for helping name the series.

“We were looking at slot races and possibly combining Nutrien Sales Races with NZB to try and get a bit of mileage and when that didn’t eventuate, Jamie (Mackinnon) approached me for some ideas for a name for what is now obviously known as the Golden Gait Series,” he said.

Driscoll was just about doubly delighted when being interviewed in lieu of his triumph, the enigmatic Val Thorens (Volstead) very nearly made it two Golden Gait victories on the night going down a nose in the fifth race on the programme.

That would have seen Bernie Hackett and Michelle Wallis taking home three of the first five Gold Gait finals having also won the second with the pacer, Nelson’s Boy, with that girl Crystal again doing the driving honours.

NELSONS BOY REPLAY

The training duo were also third in race three with Illicit Love (Love You), had nothing entered in the fourth on the card and filled the minor placings in race five with Viscount Mackendon (Volstead) running a slasher behind Val Thorens.

Oh, did we forget to mention they trained the first four home in the first race? I dont think we did.

Nevertheless, with only four runners entered to open the night, the Wallis/Hackett quartert took home $80,000 in prize money which should make for a nice wee stable morning tea shout down the line.

“She is a very nice horse and we are very lucky that Pat (Driscoll) sent her over here to us. We had to push her to get enough starts to make the field, but we did it, and I am just so happy,” said Wallis.

“To get the first four for our four owners in that race was just amazing,” she said.

In other races on the programme at time of writing, Zachary Butcher one upped his female contemporary by winning three of the first six with wins coming aboard the Purdon/Phelan trained Meant To Be (Father Patrick) and Duchess Megxit (Sweet Lou) with his other winner coming behind Bounce And Beyond (Majestic Son) for Diamond Racing Stables.

DUCHESS MEGXIT REPLAY

Greg Sugars also continued his love affair with Alexandra Park taking out the highest rated pace of the night aboard the Arna Donnelly trained, Jolimont (Sweet Lou).

For complete Alexandra Park results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink