AWARDS! AWARDS! AWARDS! - OCTOBER 2019
By Peter Wharton
Champion trotter Tornado Valley received due recognition for a wonderful season when he was named the 2018/19 Victorian Horse of the Year and Australian Trotter of the Year. He also collected the Australian and Victorian Aged Trotter of the Year awards.
During the season Tornado Valley won 11 of his 12 starts - including four at Group 1 level - and a season’s high $250,020 in stakes.
And the son of SKYVALLEY is showing no signs of slowing down! The eight-year-old gelding won twice in Free-for-all company at Melton in October – in 1:59.2 and 1:59.5 – to push his lifetime earnings over the $500,000 plateau.
SKYVALLEY himself was recognised at the Harness Breeders Awards Day at Bendigo, being awarded the 2018/19 Victorian 2YO Trotting Sire of the Year.
On the same day the Aldebaran Park bred Jaspervellabeach was named the Victorian 2YO Pacing Colt of the Year and received a Group 1 trophy as the winner of the $125,000 WA Golden Slipper.
Aldebaran Park bred five individual trotting winners in October headed up by a double at Ballarat with On Fast Forward (by SKYVALLEY) and Kyvalley Kyrie.
The highly promising three-year-old Keayang Ignite, who was bred by Aldebaran Park and sold for $15,000 at the APTS sale in 2018, won at his first two attempts by a combined total of 65 metres and looks to well in line for the Derbies and other major classics.
Hotjane Bling (by EILEAN DONON), who overcame a 20 metre handicap at Menangle, and Imahe Man (Albion Park) were other recent Aldebaran Park winners.
Besides Tornado Valley and On Fast Forward, SKYVALLEY was represented by the Melton winner Flash Kyvalley, Kimmywho (Ballarat) and Spotlight The Valley (Gore, NZ).
Aldebaran Park foalings in 2019/20:
Colt: Aldebaran Marty (Naked Majesty-Aldebaran Eagle)
Filly: Aldebaran Brook (Excellent Boko-Southwind Frank)
Filly: Aldebaran Zoe (Zhenya-Aldebaran Eagle)
Filly: Aldebaran Bree (Aldebaran Breeze-Aldebaran Eagle)
Colt: Aldebaran Brutus (Kyvalley Bling-Father Patrick)
Colt: Aldebaran Simba (Yankee Sister-Aldebaran Eagle)
Colt: Aldebaran Shaunie (Aldebaran Sunset-Love You)
Check out the photo gallery on the Aldebaran Park website.