At Alexandra Park in Auckland, New Zealand, the Jim Connelly bred and owned Kyvalley Ray competed a hat-trick of feature race wins when he won the Northern Trotting Derby classic in dashing style last Friday night.
The well-bred son of Bold Eagle worked to the front early in the race and arrogantly ran away from his rivals in the home straight.
Kyvalley Ray has now won $172 324 (about $141 000 Australian) in his last three starts in New Zealand.
Another district owned derby winner at the weekend was Pastor Dunbar, owned and bred by Lancaster’s Kevin McCluskey, who won the $75 000 NSW Trotters Derby for his Byrneside trainer-driver Damian Wilson in dashing style.
The son of Llowalong Farms based Kyabram stud Pastor Stephen, Pastor Dunbar came from last to snatch victory in the $75 000 feature to make it four wins in five career starts. He was second in the other start.
Closer to home, Kyabram trainer Mick Blackmore produced three-year-old pacer Dusty Philtra for a win at the Shepparton meeting on Tuesday of last week.
The son of Rock N Roll Heaven had a two-horse war with Fenway Park and prevailed by a half neck to score his second career win in 14 starts.
He has also been placed seven times, five of these being runner-up.
Stanhope reinsman Mark Pitt was also a winner at the Shepparton meeting, partnering pacer Draxon to victory for his NSW trainer sister-in-law Ellen Jones.
At last week’s Bendigo meeting, Kyabram Trotting Club president Ken Covington completed back-to-back wins with his veteran trotting mare Montana Muscle, who posted a PB 1.59.3 mile rate for the 1650m trip in her 103 starts which have now produced nine wins.
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