Jilliby Ballerini chasing Dominion history for Lee stable

BRILLIANT young Terang trotting mare Jilliby Ballerini’s quest to create history in New Zealand on Tuesday could be just the start of a busy Trans-Tasman hunt for major races.

The Marg and Paddy Lee-trained mare, who has stormed to stardom with 10 wins from just 13 starts this season, is trying to become the first four-year-old mare to win NZ’s biggest and most iconic trotting race, Tuesday’s $NZ400,000 Group 1 Dominion Trot at Addington.

Jilliby Ballerini is $2.70 favourite from barrier two from a standing-start in the Dominion. She is one four Aussies in the race, including Inter Dominion winner Arcee Phoenix, Queensland star Gus and the underrated Parisian Artiste.

Paddy Lee said it was likely Jilliby Ballerini would stay in NZ for the $NZ100,000 Group 1 NZ Trotting free-for-all three days later, along with the $NZ60,000 Group 2 Grand Duchess for mares’ only at Addington on November 21.

Then in a surprise move, Jilliby Ballerini could return home to Victoria via Brisbane for the $150,000 Group 1 Great Square at Albion Park on December 4.

Excitingly, Jilliby Ballerini could be joined by her freakish stablemate, Keayang Zahara, in the Great Square, a race restricted to three and four-year-old trotters.

Keayang Zahara boasts 17 wins from just 18 starts, and will target the $60,000 Group 1 Vicbred 4YO trotting mares’ finals at Melton on November 22.

“Queensland is right back in the equation for both mares,” Lee said. “We were a bit worried about how hot it would be up there in December, but we spoke with Grant (Dixon, Leap To Fame’s trainer) and he said it wouldn’t be too bad.

“The race is worth good money and if Zahara comes through the Vicbred well and we can get a flight (Melbourne to Brisbane), I’d say she’ll go.

“We’ve got the option to take Jilliby Ballerini, too. We can fly her from Auckland to Sydney and take her by road to Brisbane.

“All going well, the timing would work. The Great Square is three weeks after the last run we’ve got planned for her in Christchurch.”

But for now, Lee is focused on trying to protect the stable’s great record in NZ after Keayang Zahara won all three starts at Addington this time last year.

“We opted to bring Jilliby Ballerini this year because she’d had the bigger preparation and race experience from a standing-start,” he said.

“It’s a whole new challenge for her against strong, experienced trotters, but we think so much of her and she deserved a crack at it.”

Although locals have expressed concerns about the pressure of an inside standing start draw, Lee has a different take.

“She’s actually quite sensible and if she steps away ok, she should be midfield or better from there,” he said.

“She’s handled the trip well, has brightened up every day and worked well when we took her into Addington for a look around on Saturday.”

Lee rates another Aussie, Inter Dominion winner Arcee Phoenix, as one of the main dangers.

“He really looks to have come on and looks to be peaking at the right time. He and Parisian Artiste came into Addington with Ballerini and Arcee Phoenix worked particularly well,” he said.

by Adam Hamilton for Harness Racing Australia