Ray gives Lilley Group One victory on home soil

Young Aussie trotting star Kyvalley Ray won’t be returning home any time soon.

Fresh from his win in today’s $NZ120,000 Group 1 2YO Trotters’ Sires’ Stake final at Addington, trainer Brent Lilley said the gelding would stay in NZ for at least the next six months.

“It is mission accomplished as far as this race goes and now he can have six or eight weeks off,” he said. “He’ll stay here and Hayden and Amanda (Cullen) will prepare him for some big race in Auckland in April/May. He’ll probably come home (to Victoria) after that.”

Despite doing the work outside the leader, Kyvalley Ray was too strong in national record time.

KVALLEY RAY REPLAY

It was his third win in just four NZ runs and took his earnings to almost $150,000.

“He’s always had the motor, but had two runs earlier this year and did a bit wrong so we got him gelded and it’s made all the difference,” Lilley said.

“Jim (Connelly) had the foresight to pay up for all these races over here, so when he came back so well after being gelded we had to give him the chance in them.”

Lilley hopes Kyvalley Ray can be a key force in regenerating his stable and the recent retirement of some big guns.

“With Queen Elida and Aldebaran Zeus retired, we’re looking for our next stars to come through and he’s exciting. He’s a great young stayer,” he said.

Kyvalley Ray continued the remarkable Aussie dominance at Addington, becoming the third Group 1 winner from as many Group 1 races as the Australian had contested to that stage. The others were Kingman in Tuesday’s NZ Cup and Gus in the Dominion Trot.

For complete race results, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for HRV