NSW Trotters Derby-Oaks double

The brilliant Aldebaran Park USA harness racing filly Gatesy’s Gem (Aldebaran Eagle) duplicated the feat of Rockinwithattitude two years earlier when she captured the Group 1 $75,000 NSW Trotters Derby and Group 1 $75,000 NSW Trotters Oaks at Menangle. In winning the Oaks she put up a new lifetime mile rating of 1:57.2 over 2300 metres from the mobile.

The successes boosted her record to eight wins and three placings from 12 starts and $157,951 in stakes.

There is no doubt that the ill-fated Aldebaran Eagle USA will leave his mark for trotting generations given the success of these two outstanding trotting fillies – a unique siring double from limited opportunities – his legacy will live on!

A new Aldebaran Eagle USA winner in May was the Aldebaran Park bred three-year-old Aldebaran Pippa (ex Regal Pepperell), who won on debut at Globe Derby Park.

Resident stallion Skyvalley NZ has jumped to second on the Australian winner’s list and third on the stakemoney table with a spate of winners in May.

Skyvalley NZ sired nine individual winners for the month including Sellune, who lifted his stake tally to in excess of $100,000 with a win at Pinjarra (WA), the Melton three-year-old winner Karbine, Golden Sunset, a winner at Albion Park, Kyvalley Anthony, who won at Cranbourne twice, Rocky Valley Tr 1:58.3, El Bravo, Night Sky, Lady Suspicious and the homebred Aldebaran Anton.

Skyvalley NZ also figured as the damsire of the 1:56.5 Menangle winner One Pinevale Hill and the three-year-old filly Sky Flair, a winner at Cranbourne.

Aldebaran Park bred six winners for the month headed up by Aldebaran Zeus (Muscle Hill USA – Zoia Boko Swe), who led throughout in the Free-for-all (2240 metres) at Melton to post his 23rd win and lifted his stake tally to $590,142.

Other Aldebaran Park bred winners in May were the three-year-old filly Aldebaran Sue (Father Patrick USA -Aldebaran Shakira), the Albion Park victor Aldebaranstilinski (Sebastian K Swe-Aldebaran Sky), the Globe Derby Park winners Kyvalley Heist NZ (Muscle Mass-U Dream NZ) and Aldebaran Pippa and Aldebaran Anton (Skyvalley NZ-Backina Lifetime). 

The Aldebaran Eagle USA sired pair Rockinwithattitude and Gatesy’s Gem and Aldebaran Park principal Duncan McPherson OAM were recognised with significant awards at the 2024 Victorian Horse of the Year Dinner.

Rockinwithattitude was named 4YO Trotting Mare of the Year, Gatesy’s Gem the 2YO Trotting Filly of the Year and McPherson won a Harness Racing Victoria Distinguished Service Award.

Dancinginthedark M USA, who stood the last three seasons at Aldebaran Park, arrived safely back in Sweden to stand at the famed Menhammar Stuteri AB Stud in Ekero. He has received several bookings in Sweden and Europe and some mares have tested positively in May.

He was advertised in the racebook at the 2025 Elitloppet over the carnival and is now marketed via all available social media channels in Sweden. We thank Menhammar Stuteri AB for entrusting us with him here and we look forward to his rising two-year-olds gracing the track in 2026.

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink