By Joshua Smith, Trackside.co.nz
Trainer Kevin Townley could be in for an exciting few months with his promising three-year-old trotter Father Time.
The son of Father Patrick posted his third consecutive win in the Dancinginthedark M (USA) 3YO Mobile Trot (1980m) at Addington Raceway on Thursday night, and he is now on a path towards some feature targets, including December’s Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Derby (2600m).
“He has kept on improving for us and hopefully he will keep going that way,” said Townley, who also bred the gelding under his Tavistock Breeding banner.
“We will follow the good races. We have always known he would be up to racing in three-year-old races and hopefully we will get a bit lucky and win one or two of them.
“The Hambletonian (Grp 3, 1700m) is the first one coming up at the end of October, and if we were lucky enough to get into the slot race ($500,000 THE ASCENT, 1980m) that would be great, and two weeks after that is the Derby.”
Townley would love to land one of the upcoming feature races with Father Time, who hails from a family the Russley horseman has a long association with.
Townley trained Farm Time’s granddam Solar Fire to 14 wins, including the NSW Trotters Derby, Victoria Trotters Oaks, Vic Trotters Derby, and was crowned New Zealand 3YO Trotter of the Year, Australian 3YO Trotter of the Year, and New Zealand 4YO Trotting Mare of the Year.
“Bill Bishop, the retired vet, bought her (Solar Fire) at the yearling sales and gave her to me to train,” Townley said. “She was a very good two-year-old and ended up three-year-old trotter of the year for Australia and New Zealand. She won all the big ones at three, she was a really good filly.”
Solar Fire was the only foal out of Sunsong, a half-sister to Sungait Song, the dam of champion trotting sire Sundon. The daughter of Yankee Reb was retained by Bishop following her racing career, and he bred a number of good horses out of her, including Townley’s outstanding trotter Sheemon.
“She left quite a few winners, but only one really good one like herself in Sheemon,” Townley said. “He won 19, including four Group Ones.”
Solar Fire also left a full-sister to Sheemon in Firenze, who Townley trained to five wins from 22 starts. Townley had a high opinion of the daughter of Monarchy and purchased her following her retirement from racing.
“She had the ability to win more but she developed a bit of a bad leg, but she was extremely fast,” Townley said. “One of her wins she came from last at the top of the straight and went past about 10 or 12 horses up the straight. I always knew that she was better than her record showed.
“She is a full-sister to Sheemon and we are breeding from her now. Her first foal (Marvella, by Love You) was good and he (Father Time) is her second foal, so she is two for two so far.”
Firenze has also left a two-year-old colt by Muscle Mass, a yearling colt by Propulsion, and a weanling colt by Father Patrick.
“The Muscle Mass can trot, but he didn’t make a two-year-old,” Townley said. “He is in work again now, but we haven’t pushed him too much. In the long run he will make a decent horse.
“We sold the one by Propulsion at the yearling sales (to Kyvalley Racing for $44,000). We have also got Father Time’s full-brother in the yearling sales next year, mainly because I am getting older and you can only do so many.”
Townley is a big fan of Father Patrick as a sire and has been impressed by his worldwide results.
“He is a very good stallion and has got some really top ones in Europe as well,” he said. “He is a world-class stallion.”
Firenze is set to foal to Tactical Landing and has been booked to be served by Volstead.
While Townley has plenty to look forward to with his breeding endeavours, his focus is currently on Father Time and his bid to secure another New Zealand Trotting Derby.
Townley has won two previous editions with Solar Fire (1998) and Sundon’s Luck (2022), and he would dearly love to etch Father Time’s name on the trophy alongside his stable predecessors.
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