El Gelato, a New Zealand bred mare gifted to Broomfield hobby horseman David Davidson a few years ago, has produced four winners and a placegetter from five foals since she became a gift.

Elle Perfecto, her latest progeny, is a two-year-old filly by Elite Stride and like her half-brothers El Resamo (by Red Samurai) and El Bravo (by Skyvalley), all three have emerged successful this season.

El Resamo, a Melton winner and a multiple placegetter this year, is the richest progeny of his dam with a bankroll of $133,845 from 12 wins and 21 placings in his four-year career, while Elle Perfecto was an impressive winner at her third start at the Anzac Day meeting at Melton.

El Bravo has won twice at Cranbourne from three attempts this season, while El Tornado (by Aldebaran Eagle) notched two successes as a two-year-old last season and showed good potential before being sidelined due to a pedal bone injury.

El Resamo and El Bravo are members of David Barbetti’s Burrumbeet stable, El Tornado and Elle Perfecto are trained by Damien Burns and El Bravo is prepared by Tyrone Abela.

Along with the placegetter El Uno, the quintet were all bred and are owned by the 80 year-old Davidson, a former trainer-driver who conducts a commercial worm farm at his 100 acre Central Highlands property.

Davidson said: “I’ve got two of her progeny (El Tornado and El Nuno) in the sick bay at present but the one’s that are on track are all doing well.

“El Gelato slipped her foal in January and we decided it was too late to breed her, so we’ll go again this year.”

‘Davo’ has been involved in harness racing for almost 50 years.

‘’I used to go to the trots with my dad to the Melbourne Showgrounds and Ballarat. I was involved in football for a fair while but once I gave up footy I had a burning desire to drive horses,” Davidson said.

“I finished up coaching Birchip and Eddie Lee of Lochlee Stud was the president at the time. He gave me two two-year-olds that had been sent home as being no good. One was Lochlee Noleen and the other was Lochlee Nora. Lochlee Nora won the Victoria Trotters Oaks at Moonee Valley in 1986. 

“I started off with two rejects and I thought this game is pretty easy but it got tougher after that. Lee and the late Merv Dillon were a great help.”

Davidson trained and drove about 80 winners.

‘’Zedalite was the most successful horse I’ve had. I won two or three with him and when I realised I had a very good horse, I sent him down to Brent Lilley and he went on to win 22 races.”

  • The Geelong three-year-old winner In An Ideal World, who was bred and is part-owned by John and Christine Yeomans, is a son of the Queen of the Pacific winner    Life Inthefastlane
  • The loss of Aldebaran Eagle to breeders was further emphasized when his daughter Gatesys Gem completed the NSW Trotters Derby-Oaks double at Menangle. The filly duplicated the feat of Rockinwithattitude 12 months earlier
  • The three-year-old gelding Soho Hudson, who broke maiden ranks at Terang, is the first foal of the Australian Pacing Gold winner Soho Nolita, who was bred and raced by Robert Watson and trained by Michael Stanley