A carefully planned, well managed breeding program is starting to reap rewards for enthusiastic Goulburn Valley breeder-owner and businessman Frank Jessup.
The talented two-year-old gelding Momentum Swift, who led throughout for an effortless win at Maryborough last Wednesday, is the latest of a steady lineup of Jessup bred winners this year.
Other recent winners bred by him include Momentum Shift’s older brother Momentum Swing, promising three-year-old Major’s Creek, Major Suspect and the trotting siblings Super Service, a winner of four races this season including three at Menangle, and Silver Spoon.
Momentum Swift and Major’s Creek are both prepared at Jessup’s picturesque 200 acre property at Mitchellstown by Kylie Sugars, while Silver Spoon is trained on a 250 acre spread at nearby Nagambie by Danny Ferris.
“Kylie’s got six horses in work and Danny has three,” Frank said.
“John McLean and his partner Gail are breaking in all the horses for us and they’ve got two rising two-year-old trotters at the moment that are going along nicely.”
Kylie is assisted on the training side of the operation by her parents, Ross and Kerry Sugars.
The tending of the farm’s broodmare band and weanlings is a joint effort between Kylie and Danny.
Jessup’s involvement in harness racing began in the late 1960’s.
“My brother Bert and I used go to the Melbourne Showgrounds trials on a Thursday night as youngsters with our uncle Victor Malney. He was like a father figure to us,” Frank said.
Malney enjoyed success with the smart pacer Honourable Guy, Honourable Son, Albert Flasher and the cup class trotter Ima Bulldog, who he raced in partnership with Jessup.
“After Ima Bulldog I was out of the game for about 25 years before Charlie Bell got me in to the trotter Stretch The Budget and that started the rot,” Frank said.
Stretch The Budget won seven races including the 2006 Vicbred Super Series 3YO Final at Moonee Valley.
Another handy performer for Jessup was Tippedintoomuch, a Presidential Ball gelding that he bought at the Tasmanian yearling sale and won seven races including the 2009 Raider Stakes at Devonport.
Jessup said he’s got seven mares in foal this year and five weanlings – all fillies.
“We are going to put 11 mares into foal this year,” he said. “I enjoy the breeding side of the industry.”
Jessup’s broodmare herd is headed up by Our Chateau Lafite, a full sister to For A Reason and a close relative of Leap To Fame and Swayzee, Im Delightful, a Bettor’s Delight mare from the family of Beautide, and the Rock N Roll Heaven mare Entertainme, whose dam Nellirama is the dam of Amarillen and the grand-dam of Pixel Perfect, the 2017 and 2018 Australian Broodmares of the Year respectively.
Other mares include Climtelie, an Art Major daughter of Nellirama, Village Spy (6 wins), Major Missile (dam of Major’s Creek), Night Vision (dam of Momentum Swing and Momentum Shift) and Sunday Service (dam of Super Service and Silver Spoon).
Nipotina, who won the Vicbred Super Series Silver Trot, was bred and is raced by well known Melbourne identities Rob Merola and Sam Godino
A total of $2.7 million has been paid out in Vicbred First Win bonuses this season including $401,000 in August
The two-year-old Wicked Mitzi, an effortless winner at Echuca, was bred by nonagenarian breeder Helen Head and is raced and trained by journalist Terry Gange and his wife Jacinta
The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.