Petricevich driven by Echoes of Success 

Hobby breeder Phil Petricevich is from a blueblood WA harness racing family and grew up surrounded by quality horse flesh. 

He has dabbled in horse ownership throughout his life but has only turned his hand to commercial breeding in the past couple of years. 

Like all the Petricevich clan, he has a competitive streak and has already gathered a couple of quality broodmares – Niyarra and Cuvee Riche – from strong WA families. 

“I’ve owned a couple of horses over the years. In the 80s, we had some success with Abe Brown, who we purchased from Victoria, and more recently Niyarra and The Swiss Maestro,” Petricevich said. 

“I started breeding three years ago when I retired Niyarra. It was an opportunity to have something to focus on when I decided to retire from the livestock agency business. 

“I was born into harness racing. Dad was a very successful hobby trainer in the 50s, 60s and 70s. 

 “I was the youngest of 10 kids and I don’t ever remember a day when I wasn’t around the horses growing up. 

“Everyone helped around the stables with (siblings) Gail, Ian and Beryl all having significant involvement in the industry in WA. 

“There is an iconic photo of me when I was 3.5 years old that appeared in the West Australian newspaper with Rising Scott who was favorite for the 1967 Trotting Cup. 

“Dad is one of only seven trainers to have ever won the three big Group 1s in WA pacing, the WA Derby, WA Pacing Cup and Fremantle Cup. 

“He is, however, unique in that he is the only amateur trainer to have completed the feat with the other six all being professional trainers. 

 “My grandad also trained standardbreds, with his best being Talga Boy (contested the 1940 Interdominion series in Perth) and Early Pronto (won heats of the 1942 & 1943 Pacing Cup and second in 1943 Fremantle Cup).” 

The 2025 APG Perth Yearling Sale on March 2 will be Petricevich’s second as a vendor. He will present two Rock N Roll Heaven colts at the sale. 

Lot 336 is a bay colt out of Niyarra, who is by Bettors Delight and showed a lot of promise with two placings from just six starts before she fractured her back leg in an incident at trials. 

Niyarra is from broodmare gem Benjor Maddy Lombo, who is the dam of outstanding youngster Handsandwheels (1.53.7, $707K) and iron-tough campaigner Rock Me Over (1.53.8, $465K). 

Handandwheels won the WA Derby and the colts Westbred final as a 3YO. As an older horse, he matured into a formidable open class competitor, winning the 4&5YO Championship and a swag of cups, including Bunbury Cup and the Governors Cup. 

Niyarra is also a half sister to Maddy White (1.56.9, $110K), who has already produced Breeders Stakes winner Star Of Diamonds (1.53.3, $201K) and APG 2YO sales classic winner Floewriter (1.55.4, $175K). 

“I purchased Niyarra as a yearling at the Perth APG sale. She is from a great Copper Lodge family and I have high hopes for her as a broodmare,” Petricevich said. 

“She fractured her back leg when she was cannoned into at Byford trials one morning. 

“Given her pedigree, I decided racing on would have been too risky so I sent her to the breeding barn.      

“Her colt is a three-quarter brother to Rock Me Over and the whole family on the dam’s side just has a stunning record in WA. 

“He is an excellent type and on pedigree alone, should be popular with the buyers.”  

His second offering is a colt, Lot 438, from good race mare Cuvee Riche (1.59.6, $112K), a half sister to brilliant filly Dodolicious (1.55.5, $501K), who won the Group 1 Westbred fillies final and was runner-up in the Golden Slipper as a 2YO. 

Dodolicious won the WA Oaks and the Westbred final – and was second the the NSW Oaks – at a 3YO. 

“I really like the colt out of Cuvee Riche in this year’s sale,” Petricevich said. 

“He is quite a precocious colt who just has something about him that a few people have commented on.   

“He is very athletic and one of the smartest horses I’ve ever had anything to do with. His resemblance to his sire is uncanny. 

“Rock N Roll Heaven is enjoying a real resurgence in Australia through the deeds of his progeny, none more so than Swayzee. 

“For that reason, he is probably my pick of the two colts.” 

For full details of these or any other yearlings in the 2025 Perth Yearling Sale please visit APG’s Online Sales Catalogue or Register as a Buyer today! 

From APG Ltd