Retired pacer ignites harness dreams

Dyanna Thommeny’s interest in harness racing was reignited when she bought a retired pacer for riding about 15 years ago. 

She got the bug and went on to get her trainer’s licence and buy a farm to accommodate her small, quality band of broodmares. 

“I used to watch the standardbreds (as a child) as my nanna, Mary Parker, owned and bred some and raced them in partnership with Ray and Jane Walker of Temora,” Thommeny said.  

“I was working as a team leader at TAB back in 2010 and I got back into riding horses. 

“I bought a galloper and a retired pacer called Village Sapphire, who I broke to saddle and then after buying a cart, she broke me to the gig, so to speak. 

“I met Ross and Yvonne Adams and helped them as a stable hand and learnt a little bit of the amazing knowledge they have, eventually getting my trainer’s licence. 

“I finally bought Shalimar, my farm in Glen Alice, in 2020 and have been focusing on the breeding side more, due to the location.” 

Thommeny had immediate success in the sales ring 

“My first horse I sold was a colt by Pet Rock named Ziggy, after the great David Bowie, back in 2017,” she said. 

“He was prepped by the Micallef family at Young and sold for maybe $17,000, which paid some bills. 

“He was purchased and raced by Daniel Cordina as Ziggy Rocks and gave him – and myself as the breeder – a fabulous ride. He was an honest little horse who tried his heart out and won some good races. 

“He retired a few years back after winning $200,000, so he is the poster boy of the few I have bred so far. 

“It is even more special because his dam, Inaugural Ball, was given to me for free at a ready to run sale at Menangle by Brian Hillier who wanted her to go to a good home.” 

Thommeny will offer four yearlings for sale in 2025 – one at the APG Melbourne Yearling Sale and three at the Sydney APG Yearling Sale on February 16 – under the Shalimar Stables banner. 

“I just have a small band of broodmares, enough to breed every second year. I probably have purchased more unraced mares with solid pedigrees, hoping to build their value up,” Thommeny said. 

“On a limited budget, I look more at confirmation and gait when breeding and have had success with going to colonial sires who have been handy race horses and are comparable to the expensive North American stallions. 

“But have come to know the sale market is unpredictable as it focused on commercial stallions, so I have a nice yearling filly by Always B Miki heading to the Sydney sale this year. 

“I ensure the yearlings are properly fed and handled, which I believe makes a huge difference to their potential and longevity as a racehorse. 

“All the yearlings are dual state eligible and paid up for Bathurst Gold Crown.” 

Thommeny said her top pick from the farm this year would be Lot 248, a colt by Ride High from unraced Courage Under Fire mare Santa Marte, who is from the outstanding Smooth Ice family. 

“Lot 248 is a very strong unit in a small package,” she said. 

“His willingness to work and eager attitude make him a real prospect for the future.  

“Hopefully, he has inherited the heart and determination of his maternal grandsire Courage Under Fire. 

“Ride High is a powerful speed horse out of a great maternal family, this hopefully was a great outcross for the Courage Under Fire mare. 

“Lot 225, a Margareta Mobster colt by For A Reason, has thrown an impressive strappy, smooth gaited type, with an attractive grey roan colour at the moment. 

“Very tractable and all his siblings have been race winners. I chose the For A Reason cross due to his ability to throw good looking types with great conformation and his successful statistics as a sire. He crosses back to Cam Fella on maternal lines. 

“Lot 237 is a filly by Always B Miki from Our Artistic Leigh. The sire has put some height into the very athletic filly and hopefully his speed. 

“The all bay filly is very tractable and eager to please.  She is a very nimble and clean gaited pacer in the paddock. 

“I am looking forward to seeing this one at the track, her mother was a handy tough race mare and the first foal looked like he had some ability.” 

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

From APG Ltd