Bullengarook horseman Ian Caruana has been breeding, racing, training and driving standardbreds for four decades.
His focus has been almost exclusively on pacers.
There have been a few exceptions though.
Daring Angel gave him a taste of squaregaiting.
She has had eight wins and continues to race as a six-year-old on lease.
What Daring Angel did was not only give him the trotting bug, but also a winning breeding formula.
She is by Skyvalley and out of a pacing-bred Safely Kept mare.
With Daring Angel showing promise as a two-year-old in early 2019, it was enough to persuade Caruana to follow the same breeding pattern.
He sent another Safely Kept pacing mare which had bred, Mystical Rainbow, to Skyvalley.
The result is promising juvenile squaregaiter Rocky Valley, who owner-trainer Caruana has lining up in the $50,000 Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic Final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings (1720m) at Melton on Saturday night.
Rocky Valley has made a promising start to his racing career, finishing second at each of his first two starts and then winning a heat of Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic at Maryborough.
Caruana said Rocky Valley was the result of him coming to the realisation that Safely Kept mares threw trotters.
“It's worked out really well,” he said.
Caruana said Rocky Valley was a natural trotter right from the start.
“He took to it by himself. No encouragement was needed.”
He said he had followed the same education process with Rocky Valley that he had used with all his youngsters over the years.
Caruana said this included working them with their nose right on the gate as often as possible to teach them how to settle and then begin quickly.
He said this had worked a treat with Rocky Valley and that farrier Tony Dillon had provided some good advice along the way to ensure everything stayed on track.
Caruana is aware that there is no shortage of ability among his rivals in the final, but as always with young trotters the key was good manners and not making mistakes.
John Caldow, who drives most of Caruana's horses, will again have the reins on Rocky Valley, who has been installed as favourite.
The 10-race program also features the $50,000 Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic Final for two-year-old trotting fillies over 1720m.
The Nathan Jack-trained and driven Violet Stanford has opened as favourite after an impressive win in his heat at Maryborough.
Reigning Victorian 3YO Pacing Filly of the Year Encipher will step out in the Allied Express Richmond Lass on Saturday night at Melton, while newly-crowned Victorian 4YO Trotting Mare of the Year Queen Elida will back-up from last weekend’s Group 1 win at Menangle when she tackles the I Didn’t Do It Trotters Free For All.
Pictures: John Caldow and Ian Caruana with Merry Dancer (top) and Caldow in the sulky after Rocky Valley's win at Maryborough.
TUNE IN at MELTON on Saturday
First Race: 4.59pm Last Race: 9.38pm
Racecaller: Dan Mielicki with Rob Auber, Jason Bonnington and Kirsten Graham on TrotsVision.
TrotsVision: WATCH LIVE
SEN Track: LISTEN LIVE
RSN 927: LISTEN LIVE
Winner of the Week
HALE SAINT LOUIE, by Sweet Lou out of Everlasting Deal, at Northam on May 13.
Breed your next winner with Woodlands Stud, supporter of Trots Centre
