Earlier in his working life Bungaree enthusiast Maurice Hanrahan served as a strategist in the Victorian Premier’s Department, forming and implementing strategies for the State’s leaders Jeff Kennett, Steve Bracks and John Brumby.

Hanrahan, who was introduced to trotting by his late father Tom, a successful breeder and owner, is now developing a breeding and racing program of his own from a select group of broodmares at his Western District potato property.

And, one of the progeny of his broodmare herd, Shadow Celt, a four-year-year-old gelding by Shadow Play, is living proof that his breeding program is starting to pay dividends

The gelding is unbeaten in three attempts to date, sandwiching a brilliant last-to-first Melton win between two successes at Cranbourne.

Shadow Celt is trained by Maurice’s cousin Tim McGuigan.

“Tim told me he’s the first horse that he’s ever won his first three races with,” Maurice said.

“We always had a bit of an opinion of him and we still don’t know how good he is.”

However, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for Shadow Celt.

“I bought his dam Rhodium Castle at a mixed sale at Shepparton,” Maurice said. “I bought her empty and bred her to Shadow Play. About 10 days after the foal was born she got very crook, so I took her and her foal to Simon Pearce at Golden Plains Equine, Lethbridge.

“It was a 50/50 proposition but the little fellow pulled through and for the next six months we raised him as a bucket foal at home.”

Shadow Celt is the last of five foals left by Rhodium Castle, a winner of nine races including the 2010 Victoria Youthful Stakes.

Maurice paid tribute to the late Phil Devereux (of Victory’s Phil fame) for his part in the nurturing of Shadow Celt.

“Phil gave me a hand to pal him up with another horse. David Barbetti broke the two horses in for Phil and me,” he said.

Maurice is understandably excited about the future for Shadow Celt.

“He’s a nice horse. We’ll give one more run then turn him out and then when he comes back we’ll really rock and roll. We’ll really target some four-year-old races.”

Maurice is the treasurer and a committee member of the State’s breeding body, Harness Breeders Victoria.

Hard and soft copies of the sale catalogues for the Australian Pacing Gold and Nutrien Equine Victorian Yearling Sales are now available

Former top pacer Jilliby Kung Fu, who is standing at the Craven family’s Terang farm, has left a flurry of winners over the holiday period. They include Jilliby Fabio, Jilliby Tidalwave, Jilliby Mojito, Keayang Yukon and Jilliby Panda. He has sired six winners from 10 starters from 30 foals of racing age

Niki Nah Nah, who was bred and is raced by a syndicate headed by media identity Rob Auber, is proving one of the stars of the holiday racing in Victoria. The six-year-old Captaintreacherous mare has won five consecutive races at the provincials

Lou Lous Allgold, a Sweet Lou mare bred and part-owned by Garry Rogers, won four races on end at King Island last month highlighted by the King Island Pacing Cup