Gray reaches milestone

Julie Jaccka (Father Patrick) gave Ryal Bush harness racing trainer Brett Gray his 300th winner when she won at Addington yesterday.

It was fitting that the mare is owned by Charlie and Alisa Smaill as they’ve been Gray’s biggest owners over the twenty two years he’s been training. Seventy four of his three hundred winners have carried the ‘Jaccka’ name which is synonymous with the Smaills.

JULIE JACCKA REPLAY

Gray’s first ‘Jaccka’ win was Jaccka Frost at Ascot Park in April 2003.

The Gray and Smaill families go a long way back as Brett’s late father Murray also trained for Charlie and Ailsa achieving twenty six wins for them, the first being Krissy Jaccka at Forbury Park in January 1998. Between Murray and Brett they’ve trained one hundred ‘Jaccka’ horses.

Brett has trained Two Group winners – You’re So Fine in the 2021 Group Two Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic and Always Ticking in the 2023 Group Three Leonard Memorial.

His best season was in 2022 when he won 36 races and he shared the Southland Trainers Premiership with Nathan Williamson.

87 of his 300 wins have been with trotters.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink