The late Noela Krafft would have been watching down with a smile when a mare she bred and raced with husband Derrick broke through for a long-awaited victory at Ballarat on Wednesday night.
Noela sadly passed away in November last year, but encouraged Derrick to continue with the harness racing passion they’d shared throughout 50+ years marriage.
She’d been the trainer through much of their journey – including for Blissfull Penny’s previous win in March last year – but Derrick has since taken over the team and now trains under his name.
So when the nine-year-old mare prevailed in Wednesday night’s Boatshed Restaurant Pace, it provided Derrick with his first success as a trainer since all the way back in 1986. That previous victory came in Queensland, where the Kraffts lived until moving to Victoria over a decade ago.
Blissfull Penny has now won five of 125 career starts and is set to tackle a race at Bendigo next Wednesday night.
Derrick Krafft, 79, lives in Havelock, which is only a short drive from the Maryborough Harness Racing Club.
