Successful Leeton harness racing team Blake Jones and Ellen Bartley are the first to agree that an ounce of luck goes a long way.
The dam of three-year-old gelding Forever Yin died during his foaling, but the star of the Jones-Bartley stable is more than making up for the rough start to life.
"The day after he was born, he went down to Euroa where Suzanne Royal has a farm dedicated to raising orphans," Ellen said.
"Suzanne is phenomenal in what she does, so we were very lucky. She had the foal for eight months and then he came back up to us.
"Blake's auntie Janet Painting bred Forever Yin and he was the only foal produced by the dam Aqua Luvvy which won seven races before she was retired."
Forever Yin (Western Terror-Aqua Luvvy (Live Or Die) posted his seventh victory from just 21 starts when he won impressively in the $12,240 Collier and Miller Coc Griffith Pacers Cup last Saturday night.
To watch this race click here.
Forever Yin is now Menangle bound after his impressive win
"We thought he went super. We were also very happy with his Cup heat win four days earlier because that was his first-up run from a spell," Ellen said.
"His next start will probably be in about a fortnight's time at Menangle in a three-year-old event. It's a six-hour road trip to get up there, but he's going well.
"After that will depend on what happens with the reopening of the borders with COVID-19."
Forever Yin has certainly provided the young couple with some moments to remember with eye-catching wins at Cobram, Echuca, Melton, Leeton, Junee and his last couple at Griffith.
"His Melton win was in a 2yo VicBred semi and he beat some nice horses so that was a huge thrill. We ran in the final a week later and he began badly and lost any chance," Ellen said.
A former outstanding pony trot driver, Ellen prefers to leave the majority of race driving commitments to Blake, although she did take out the Griffith Pacers Cup herself a few years ago.
"I was in my first season of driving and had only been licensed for about a month. I landed Rusty's Reject for Janet's brother-in-law Matthew Painting," she said.
"These days I tend to drive horses only that I own, or occasionally I'll pick up a drive for another trainer."
And while Blake was in the spotlight at the Cup meeting, Ellen got the night off to a flyer by taking out the opening event with Tygerphinn (Dawn Of A New Day-Luvu Jeorja Lombo (Jet Laag) in the $6630 TAB Odds & Evens Pace.
To watch this race click here.
"He's one of my favorites, probably because I own him," she said.
Ellen, who has trained over 145 winners, combines preparing a team of 14 horses with running an equine massage therapist practice.
"Life does get busy, but I enjoy what I'm doing," she said.
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura