Claire Goble knows All The Trix
Talented square gaiter All The Trix helped make for a perfect weekend for connections with a brilliant victory at Globe Derby Park on Saturday.
Overcoming an early break, All The Trix ($4.40 into $3.30) finished powerfully to score a half neck victory in the Fast As The Wind USA @ Wingate Farm Trotters Handicap (2230m).
Driven by David Smith, the five-year-old began nicely and was going forward early when he galloped losing 30 metres and forcing him to settle back, second-last in the field of eight.
With 600 metres to travel, Smith brought All The Trix with a run and he loomed up on the home turn to claim the win holding off Thunder Wing ($3.70) which tried to dive bomb him up the sprint lane, with pacemaker Cyclone S Adams ($17), five metres away third.
The success was extra special for Sydney businessman Paul Rolfe, a part-owner-breeder of All The Trix as he was on-course to cheer the trotter.
Rolfe, and his daughter Emily, 14, came to Adelaide to spend a few days with Wasleys trainer Claire Goble.
Through their loves of harness racing, especially the square gaiters, the pair started their racing involvement more than a decade ago and the winners have come since.
The pair met face-to-face for the first time at Victor Harbor when Rolfe was visiting SA and saw Emilys Vacation, which he bred and part-owned with Goble, win.
Saturday night was his second time he went to a meeting with the trainer, so All The Trix kept up the pair’s perfect record.
Goble said the winner was a big horse still learning his craft.
“If you try to push him early, there is always a chance he can get unbalanced because of his size,” Goble said.
“David (Smith) got him back trotting very quickly and we never gate up hope that he could still win.”
Rolfe said he was loving his racing partnership with Goble.
“Claire is a wonderful person and a magnificent trainer, and it is a pleasure to share a racing and breeding involvement,” Rolfe said.
“It has been a great thrill to make two trips to the races in South Australia and have two winners.”
Goble had an unusual double at Globe Derby Park with Clarenden Tribute, which she bred and owns, won the Kevin & Kay Seymour SA Concession Drivers Pace (1800m).
Clarenden Tribute ($13) is trained by Symon Kittel and was driven by his son Jason in winning by a short half head from Sunstar ($8.50) with Lizzie Shelby ($1.18 fav), a half neck away third.
“Jason works for me and as a young horse coming through he was a bit of a project horse for him,” Goble said.
“When I got hurt early in the year I had 15 horses in work and had to move some on because I couldn’t be there to help.
“Because Jason was working with Clarenden Tribute it was decided he could take the horse, and with his Dad Symon, they have done an amazing job and placed him beautifully.”
Jason Kittel admitted he had received “friendly advice” from his father regarding his drive on the four-year-old at his previous start.
“Dad said find the lead tonight and don’t give it up,” Kittel said.
“He flew out from the gates and travelled well but I felt he was waiting to be challenged in the home straight. He just keeps improving.”
So Vogue, desperately unlucky five days earlier, atoned with an outstanding win in the Skyvalley @ Aldebaran Park Trotters Handicap (2230m) in a race dominated by trainer Luke O’Neill.
Driven by Ryan Hryhorec, So Vogue ($2.15 fav) trotted clear of her rivals to win by 11 metres from Stingofawasp ($17) with Horse Of Course ($16), a metre away third giving O’Neill the race trifecta.
Last month O’Neill reached a personal milestone with his 400th training success and the mare’s win on Saturday took his tally to 404, a wonderful achievement considering nearly all his horses are rejects from other trainers.
He started his training as a teenager at the turn of the century but had to wait until the 20/04 season to prepare his first winner.
O’Neill’s career had a positive upward turn in season 2019/20 with 21 winners and has been on an upward trend ever since with 33, 57 and then 64 winners in the last three seasons.
In 2025, he has 30 winners to sit fourth on the premiership.
“I definitely believe I am training much better, but all the credit should go to the girls,” O’Neill said.
“With my transport business (O’Neill’s Transport) growing, I am on the road a lot and the girls do a fabulous job carrying out my instructions.”
‘Luke’s Angels’ are the hard-working quartet of Ella, Jaz, Hannah and Roshy.
“The successes are testament to their commitment,” O’Neill said.
Kadina’s Wombat Hotel erupted on Saturday when star mare Magic Storm was victorious at Globe Derby Park.
The hotel is the unofficial home base of the Magic Storm fan club.
Trained by Copper Coast Council IT guru Tyson Linke, the seven-year-old mare boasts an ownership group comprising many other council employees.
The owners, family and friends have made a habit of going to the Wombat Hotel to watch her races.
Magic Storm, purchased for just $4000, has now won 13 races the first seven in a row, with seven seconds from just 25 starts and Saturday night’s win took her earnings to $50,188 for the owners.
Her best win was the Mares Classic at Globe Derby Park in January this year.
Trainer Tyson Linke said Magic Storm had been a wonderful introduction to harness racing for most of the ownership group.
“A lot of the guys at work had asked to get involved and we were able to source the mare online,” Linke said.
“It was unbelievable to win her first seven races, and now I have a list of others who want us to find a horse for them.
“The Wombat Hotel became a meeting spot early on and it has become the norm.
“One of the owners broke the chain and came to watch her and she got beaten, so he won’t tempt fate again.
“Magic Storm has been up for a while and probably needs a bit of a break, but it is hard to give a mare of her age a spell.”
Meanwhile, stablemate Sea Salt, a brilliant winner of the Emerging Stars Final at Globe Derby Park on June 28, has had a slight setback.
The filly contracted a virus post the win and has been given an easy time but is now on the way back to racing.
Magic Storm was driven by Wayne Hill who bought up a treble on the night also scoring on My Ultimate Flynn for his wife Sam, then Kittycat Cutie for co-trainers Jill Neilson and Katie Wilson.
Trainer Nick Tardio is having an excellent run with seven-year-old mare Come On Sloopy which won the SAHRC Members Mares Pace (1800m).
Well driven by Kevin Weidenbach, Come On Sloopy ($4.60) dashed up the sprint lane to record a three-metre win over Lochinvar Jewells ($2.15 fav) with Ozzie Joybell ($4.60), a similar margin away third.
The mare has now won three of her last four starts and has been in the placings at her last nine starts.
Weidenbach brought up a double leading throughout on Debs Choice ($5.50) for trainer Mal Bagnato in the Northside Trophies Pace (1800m).
- Story Graham Fischer
- Photo: Walter Bulyga