Wallis/Hackett barn strike gold at Alexandra Park

[Wandering Eyes]

By Michael Guerin

There couldn’t be a more deserving stable to win the first ever TAB Golden Gait Final held than Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett.

But Belle Neige’s win in the $100,000 opener at Alexandra Park, the TAB Golden Gait Aged R49 – R60 Mobile Trot, was only the start of a stunning night for the husband and wife team.

The numbers are impressive, the stable producing the first four home in the opening race, with daughter Crystal driving the winner.

They doubled up in the next, the TAB Golden Gait Aged R35 – R46 Mobile Pace, when Nelson’s Boy won again with Crystal in the sulky while the enigmatic pacer is part-owned by their other daughter Tyla Hackett, a former Kidz Kartz driver and now top equestrian rider.

To round out the remarkable night they trained Faith In Manchester to beat stablemate Magic Dash in the R61 – R79 Mobile Trot to give them three wins for the night. Add to that Illicit Love’s third in the 2YO Mobile Trot  and Val Thorens just missing in the three-year-old trot after carrying a flat tyre and the stable runner’s collected $220,000 in win and place stakes alone.

To add to the party Crystal drove another winner for one of the other stars of night in trainer Arna Donnelly when Rough And Ready gave her a treble as well in the R48 – R61 Mobile Pace.

To see Wallis and Hackett have such a successful night at the first ever Golden Gait felt like payback as the night is supposed to reward horses who have supported Alexandra Park in 2024 but the reality is their stable has been keeping races alive there for several years.

There have been times in recent years when Alexandra Park didn’t have the buzz it did on Friday and has it not been for the prolific support of the Wallis/Hackett stable some trotting races in particular wouldn’t have got off the ground.

“We have always been big supporters of this club and this track and we have been happy to do so,” says Michelle.

“But to have a night like this is very special for different reasons.

“The first winner was owned by Pat Driscoll and he has become such a big supporter of ours and we almost got him another one with Val Thorens.

“Then Nelson’s Boy winning who has been such a good old horse for us and to have Tyla and the family involved in his ownership.

“And Faith In Manchester had to be really good to win and she is raced by owners in Heather and Russell Steele who have been with us such a long time.

“So they are all special moments and to see Crystal driving a treble, it has been a wonderful night.”

Wallis also got a thrill from the atmosphere in the Alexandra Park stabling area as many of the participants knew what the night meant to each other.

Another stable who has been a huge addition to Alexandra Park in recent years in Robert and Jenna Dunn’s Pukekohe base won the three-year-old trot with Bounce N Beyond, courtesy of a beautifully-timed Zachary Butcher drive to work him to the front from his outside of the second line draw. 

The son of the talented northern mare Dead Cat Bounce, who won 13 races, Bounce N Beyond has had his tricks at times but seems to have settled down lately and looks an open class horse in the making. 

Earlier the two-year-old trot went, as expected, to Meant To Be, confirming he is our best juvenile trotters when easily accounting for stablemate Ocean Eyes, their tasks made easier when both Ya Eejit Ya and Hillbilly galloped early.

The night’s final trot was taken out by Itaintnecessarilyso, a recent addition to Shane Butcher’s small stable but expertly prepared and giving Butcher’s fiancee Monika Ranger the biggest win of her driving career.

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