by Michael Howard
For Dianne and Bernie Kelly, Saturday night’s Australian Pacing Gold fillies final is personal.
Not only is their two-year-old, Molly Kelly, favourite for the $322,000 feature, but the Four Starzzz Shark filly is named after their grandchild and is the last of five generations to run through Illinois Stud.
“It’s a lifetime achievement,” Ms Kelly said.
The family tree stretches back to Illinois, a filly who Mr Kelly bought before the pair were married. Illinois produced Bernie’s Sister (by Gay Reveller), who produced Rich Sister (by Richmond), who produced Miss Paula (by Tompkins Hanover), the winner of 22 of her 64 starts.
Miss Paula’s racing record was a significant contribution that almost paled next to her record as a mare, having foaled Albert Kelly ($322,320), Mcraes Mate ($482,053) and Greg Kelly ($345,150), each little brothers Jackie Kelly, who entered the world in 2000.
The daughter of Albert Albert, Jackie Kelly would only see the track on four occasions across three years, winning three modest stakes races before beginning her breeding career at age five. Her third foal, Frith, would win almost $1.2 million across 63 starts, with her 39 victories including eight at Group 1 level.
“We’ve been playing around with horses all our lives,” Ms Kelly said. “We have had a lot of nice horses, Frith is the best.”
Of Jackie Kelly’s 10 successful births only one other was also produced by Frith’s sire, Four Starzzz Shark, that being Molly Kelly.
“We would have been mad not too,” Ms Kelly said. “(Frith) showed good potential at the end of her two-year-old campaign and then really got into things when she turned three and won the Victorian Oaks, the oaks in Western Australia, the Breeders Challenge and Breeders Crown.
“We never dreamed we’ve have another one stand in an Australian Pacing Gold final, so we are tickled to have that.”
The final will be Molly Kelly’s fourth career start, having been unbeaten through her Wagga debut, her APG heat and then last Friday’s APG semi-final, when Chris Alford found the front and won by a head from stablemate Nostra Beach.
The draw has given advantage to Molly Kelly, having drawn gate five on the front line, which will likely become four when the emergency’s removed. Nostra Beach will start from nine and they are favourite and second favourite respectively with TAB.com.au.
“It doesn’t matter where she finishes up, it’s just nice to have something in it,” Ms Kelly said.
Her strong showing is already bringing great pride to Mr Kelly, a trainer of more than 1600 starters and 400 winners who recently handed the keys to his latest equine Rolls Royce to Smythes Creek’s Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin.
“He did a lot of the work to prepare her to this point and then we sent her to Emma about a week before the first heat,” Ms Kelly said. “Bernie takes things very slowly, but when she won her first race and with her eligible for the APG we had to have a go at it and we are very happy with the job that Emma and Clayton are doing.”
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