Flying Ellie’s win special

Today’s (Mar. 11) win by Flyin Ellie (Art Major) in the $30,000 Group Three Caduceus Club of Southland/Alabar Fillies Classic was tinged with a touch of sadness as harness racing owners Mark and Melanie Kingsbury’s thoughts immediately turned to the passing of Melanie’s father Tony Parker yesterday.

Tony was a very prominent harness racing breeder, owner, and veterinarian surgeon in the Franklin area and bred champion pacer Auckland Reactor (Mach Three) the winner of thirty two races and $1,837,043, along with a host of other winners.

Flyin Ellie was bred by Tony and his wife Anne. 

“It was a special win today because he saw her win at Winton just before he passed and he was pretty chuffed,” Melanie said.

Melanie actually bought Flying Ellie at the 2022 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Auckland for $50,000. 

After the sale Flying Ellie was sent south for her early education.

“She went down to Steven Boyd’s at West Melton. She was late going. She came up to speed really fast, she was pretty switched on,” Melanie said.

She then headed to Branxholme trainer Nathan Williamson for her first prep before returning to the couple’s Oamaru farm for a spell with Major Envy (Art Major).

“They’re buddys those two. They’ve got the same little star on their head and they race us up and down the drive in the front paddock. They’re adorable little fillies.”

Flying Ellie qualified at Wyndham on 11th February before winning on debut at Winton on March 3rd beating Always Ticking (Always B Miki).

“She was the first two year old the family has raced for a while because they’re mostly three year olds when they race. She was strong enough, and Nathan’s done a fantastic job in training her to do it,” Mark said.

In today’s feature pace driver Craig Ferguson slotted Flying Ellie in behind Always Ticking. With 1700 metres to run Always Ticking’s driver Blair Orange started to tap his filly up to keep her mind on the job in the pace setting. It proved to be the winning of the race. Ferguson eased his filly off the back of Always Ticking and went to the lead.

She held on to beat Always Ticking by a length and a half, running the 2200 metre mobile in a sedate 2-50.6.

“The Kingsburys are staying down and we’ll have a bit of a chin wag tonight and discuss what we’re going to do with her. She may have a break and (we’ll) look at the feature races for her which are now in the spring,” Williamson said.

FLYING ELLIE REPLAY

Possible targets are a heat of the Sires Stakes for Two Year Old Fillies at Addington in early October, the NZB Standardbred Harness Million two weeks later, the Sires Stakes Final and the Ace of Diamonds in December.

The Kingsburys haven’t owned a lot of horses, but they did race The Player (Majestic Son) with Melanie’s parent. He won six races.

The couple have been running a dairy farm for thirty years and sold it last season.

“We bought a Café with our daughter at Duntroon, so we help her out. We’ve also got a berry orchard growing boysenberries and raspberries which is on our home farm so there’s a fair bit going on,” Mark said.

They still have two farms – a one hundred and forty five hectare runoff, and a ninety hectare home farm.

“The spellers go to the runoff and the broodmares are on the home farm,” Melanie said.

Williamson is one of the Kingsbury’s clients and currently has Pembrook Playboy (Bettor’s Delight) and Hidden Talent (Bacardi Lindy) spelling on the runoff.

“She’s (Hidden Talent) a bossy little madam with a lot of personality,” Melanie said. 

The couple have also recently purchased a couple of well-bred broodmares. One is Another Love, (Love You) the dam of Alderbaran Keepa (Kadabra) the winner of eight races including the Group One Victoria Trotters Oaks. The other – Charlton, (Dream Vacation) was a smart two year old winner before he was retired to stud after injuring himself.

Another Love’s latest foal is a filly by What The Hill.

Their other broodmare is also by Love You. U Dream is the dam of Kyvalley Heist (Muscle Mass) which has won five races in Australia and who’s latest progeny is a filly by Father Patrick. 

They also have some of Melanie’s parents mares on the property.

“We’ve also got some of the Tardina (Stud) mares here just to give us something to do (laughter). It’s good and it’s fun and we’re meeting some really neat people,” Melanie said.

Mark added that the couple both want the Tardina legacy to continue.

“It could be Tardina North and Tardina South,” said Melanie. 

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink