Prominent Northern Horsewomen combine for APG Yearling Sale

Two of northern South Australia’s biggest achievers, particularly among the female brigade, in Leah Holman and Rebecca Taylor, have a two-pronged entry for the Australian Pacing Gold SA Yearling Sale to be held at Magic Millions, Morphettville on Sunday. 

Holman, a successful trainer-driver with more than 750 winners including horses the calibre of Perfect Lignum, White Hart’s Deejay and Ruffle My Feathers, and Taylor, the livewire Port Pirie HRC promotions officer, have nominated a colt and a filly – both by Major Secret – for the auction. 

“We bought the dams of both yearlings in foal from Stephen Norman with the aim to breed them up, look after them and get them to the sales. That was our objective to start with,” Holman said. 

The colt, who is listed as Lot 503, is out of the Western Terror mare Couldbeagoodone, the dam of the SA Sales Series prelude winner and Final placegetter The Queen Of Heart (1:57.7) and the Globe Derby winner Justcallmeangus (1:58.1). 

Couldbeagoodone ranks as a half-sister to the dam of the multiple Group-winning two and three-year-old Smooth Showgirl 1:52.3 ($373,786) and the SA Oaks victor Nomi Malone (1:54.5) and thus a member of the same family as the dual Derby winner Menin Gate ($574,758). 

“He’s big and powerful and very sensible,” Leah stated. “He’s a natural free-legged pacer.” 

Lot 511, a lovely Major Secret filly, is a daughter of the Presidential Ball mare Jilliby Mia, the dam of three sub 1:57 winners including this week’s Globe Derby Park winner Jilliby Chambers. 

The filly’s first three dams have produced 21 starters between them for 15 winners.   

“She is an absolute stunner.  I’ve bred quite a few foals over the years but this one is just magnificent,” Leah said. 

“Her temperament is amazing and she does everything that you ask of her. She looks like she’s up and ready to go.” 

Major Secret, a Derby winning son of Art Major, has a 50 percent strike rate of winners-to-starters including the Southern Cross winner Bay Jim Major and the SA Yearling Sales Classic and Sapling Stakes winner Star Man. 

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

Hoofnote
Harness Racing SA has just confirmed that they will provide four $500 vouchers that will be drawn as a raffle for registered bidders at the start of the sale. Vouchers can be used for any purchase made from the sale. 

From APG Ltd