Preparations and prospects with Walliabup Farms

Albany horseman Tim Stone will be watching the APG Perth Yearling Sale with a keen interest. Not only is he preparing two yearlings for Walliabup Farms, he helped raise and handle the Adda Equine draft and he expects to get some youngsters to break-in after they have been through the sales ring. 

Stone, 44, is an accomplished trainer-reinsman but his ‘bread and butter’ comes from youngsters these days. 

“I am preparing the yearlings for my good mate Gerard Paganoni and I manage Peter Capararo’s mares (Adda Equine) down here,” Stone said. “So I pre-prepped the Adda yearlings before they went up to the Lewis’ to be finished off for this year’s sale.” 

“I have 18 horses in work. Most of them are babies and a lot of my work comes from breaking and educating these days” he continues. “I got a heap of yearlings from the sale last year and it will likely be the same this year.” 

Stone was born and raised in Narrogin and started working as a stable hand for trainer Alan Hastie in primary school. He did stints with leading trainers Justin Warwick and Grant Williams before taking out a trainer-reinsman license. 

He has driven 163 winners of almost $1 million in stakes and trained 61 winners and is having a great run with promising mare Koolbardi Navajo. 

She has had three wins and two seconds from six starts at Albany this season and Stone thinks she could match up to city races in the future. 

“My dad trained and drove pacers when I was little but then had a long break. I guess it was in my blood,” he said. “I started helping trainers in primary school and I have been involved ever since. 

“I am also president of the Albany harness club. It is a lot of work but it has been an outstanding season. The crowds, on-course betting and bar takings have all be well above average, so it makes it worthwhile.” 

Stone said Lot 431, a filly by Art Major from Brush With Courage was an eye-catching youngster and should attract plenty of attention in the sales ring. 

Brush With Courage won three races as a two-year-old, including a heat of the APG fillies sales classic, and finished fourth in the Group 1 $100,000 Diamond Classic. 

She is a full sister to standout youngster Heez On Fire (1.54.7, $287K) and WA Pacing Cup runner Papinik (1.54.5, $145K). 

Brush With Courage has already produced Seeryanfly (1.57.4, $127K) and Dame Valour (1.54.9, $43K) 

“The family has produced a lot of winners and this filly looks like she will go early,” Stone said. “She has the Art Major look. She is solid and in the mid-range for height.” 

The other Walliabup Farms yearling is Lot 437, a filly by Soho Tribeca from unraced mare Elegant Texan, who is a half-sister WA Golden Slipper winner Aussie Reactor (1.50.6, $616K) and Aussie Delight (1.55.2, $124K). 

Interestingly for breeding buffs, the filly has a double cross of supersire Fake Left. 

“This filly is a first foal. She’s on the small side and a bit finer than the Art Major filly,” Stone said. “The family has produced some good fillies.” 

For full details of all catalogued yearlings in the 2024 Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sales please visit our Online Sales Catalogue or Register as a Buyer now.

From APG Ltd