2026 Pride Of Petite winner Majestic Summer
Majestic Summer scored a deserved win in Saturday’s feature 2026 SA Square Trotters Association Pride Of Petite (2230m) at Globe Derby Park.
Trained by Ryan Hryhorec and driven by Danielle Hill, Majestic Summer ($6.50) trotted strongly in the home straight to defeat leader Feel The Moment ($2.80 fav) by 6-1/2 metres, with Ima Destroyer ($151), 10 metres away third.
The victory saw the six-year-old mare go one better than last year when she was runner-up, when driven by Corey Johnson, to stablemate Ebonys Avenger which was driven by Hryhorec.
The winner was bred and is owned by prominent harness racing identity Michael Taylor.
“She deserved to win a good race,” Hryhorec said.
“She gives her best every time she goes around.
“Last year she found Ebonys Avenger, a high-quality mare, just too good and this year it was her turn to take the trophy.”
Majestic Summer trotted away well from the stand from gate four and Hill looked to assume control but Feel The Moment had begun just as well from barrier two, and her driver, Wayne Hill made his intentions clear to hold the lead.
Danielle Hill was happy to take the trail and the mare settled beautifully behind the leader.
Feel The Moment recorded two soft quarters of 32.0 and 31.5 seconds for the first half of the last 1600 metres before raising the tempo over the final 800 metres.
But Majestic Summer had too much speed over the final 300 metres and quickly assumed control in the home straight.
It was the mare’s sixth win from just 19 starts in 2026, and her 15th overall. Originally trained in Victoria, she has blossomed since coming to South Australia and joining the Hryhorec stable.
“Michael (Taylor) is a breeder, and to be honest, we had been talking about retirement and sending her to the breeding barn,” Hryhorec said.
“He is overseas at the moment, but now she had picked up a feature, it might be a conversation we have again.”
The Pride Of Petite is a sought-after feature named after one of Australasia’s greatest trotters, and her win in the 1997 Inter Dominion at Globe Derby Park, coming off a 40-metre handicap, is arguably one of the greatest trotting wins.
The win was one of a treble for Danielle Hill who combined with Victorian trainer Naomi Kerr to win another two races. The trainer also drove home with a treble.
Hill’s first winner for Kerr was on The Golden Hook ($1.85 fav) which scored a thrilling photo-finish win in the Hahn Super Dry Pace (2230m).
The Golden Hook sat parked and had a two-horse war with the leader Clarenden Spirit ($2.60) over the final 600 metres, eventually grabbing short half head win with Tommy Mach ($23), third, a distant 13-1/2 metres away.
Kerr said the winner was a talented three-year-old which was having just his second start for her stable.
“He had been regarded as a sit-sprinter, but I believe he can do it tough as he demonstrated tonight,” Kerr said.
“We picked him up for just $7000 and I think he will prove a bargain buy.”
Hill and Kerr combined to win with No Good Reason in the Bianco Reinforcing Pace (1800m).
No Good Reason ($1.85 fav) led comfortably from gate two, but Hill gave her rivals something to chase establishing a good lead down the back and into the home straight.
The winner was getting tired late but held on to win by a half head from the fast-finishing Ride The Highway ($10) with Sienna Bella ($15), 6-1/2 metres away third.
Kerr’s first winner was Kyoretsu ($2 fav) in the Bargain Steel Centre Pace (1800m).
Driven by Wayne Hill, Kyoretsu led throughout from gate one and was never really challenged winning by four metres from My Rocky Romance ($101) with Linxx ($12), a metre away third.
Kerr said the winner was another horse capable of going through his classes.
“He can take a bit of work to get going but has good cruising speed once he gets going,” Kerr said.
“He came to us from Andy Gath in June and tonight is his fourth win for my stable and it is his second in a row.
“Once he led he was always going to take beating.”
The Globe Derby Park treble completed a big 24 hours for Kerr, who also had a double at her home Mildura track on Friday.
Her winners there were Always On Safari, which had been a surprise, and Listen To The Hand, a three-year-old she has high hopes will win much better races.
- Story Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga