Ascent Looming For Ya Rite Darl

The $500,000 Listed Majestic Horsefloats ‘The Ascent’ 3YO Trotters Slot Race (1980m) is looming for Ya Rite Darl (NZ) (What The Hill) following her victory in the Gr.3 Neumanns Tyres Vipal Hambletonian 3YO Classic (1700m) at Ashburton on Monday.

Despite being heavily in season, the Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained filly began well off the mobile arm and was taken straight to the front by John Dunn. Race favourite Meant To Be (NZ) (Father Patrick) broke for several strides heading into the back straight but quickly settled before being sent around the pack by driver Zachary Butcher. The pair locked into a duel from the 700m, but Ya Rite Darl proved too good in the end to win by a length.

It was the third consecutive win for Ya Rite Darl, who is proving to be a bargain buy, having been purchased by Diamond Racing Stables out of Woodlands Stud’s 2022 NZB Standardbred National Weanling Sale draft for $8,000.

“She is a wee Darl this one,” John Dunn said.

“She is in season quite bad today. She wasn’t very happy to sit behind in the warm-up but when the gate left she changed her mind.

“When she trots, she has normally got great manners and puts herself in a good position right from the get-go.”

It is fitting that Ya Rite Darl won the Hambletonian, with the filly set to represent race sponsor Neumanns Tyres in their slot in The Ascent at Addington Raceway on Show Day.

“It’s a great race to win because the Neumanns are massive supporters of our stable, so it’s always great to win this race,” Dunn said.

“Unfortunately, they (Neumanns) had their three-year-old but they haven’t quite come back the way they thought it would, so they will take this girl instead, which is good of them.”

Ya Rite Darl has now won seven and placed in five of her 18 starts, including victory in the Group Three New Zealand 2YO Trotting Stakes (1980m) and placings in the Group Three Macca Lodge Sires’ Stakes 2YO Fillies Classique (1980m), Group Three Northern Trotting Oaks (2200m) and Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million 2YO Mobile Trot (1980m).

Bred by Woodlands Stud, Ya Rite Darl is by their former shuttle stallion What The Hill and out of three-win Dream Vacation mare Gogirl Bromac, a half-sister to Group Three winner Groovy Bromac.

Ya Rite Darl’s third dam is Group One performer Lily The Pink, who won a Group Two Inter Dominion Trotters Heat and placed in the Group One Inter Dominion Trotters Grand Final, and she was the dam of Group One performer Jazz Legend and 2016-17 New Zealand Trotting Broodmare of the Year Another Starlet.

Vendor	Woodlands Stud NZ Ltd
Purchaser	Diamond Racing
Owner(s)	Diamond Racing Stables Ltd
Breeding	What The Hill - Gogirl Bromac
Sale	2022 National Standardbred Weanling Sale ($8,000)
Breeder(s)	Woodlands Stud (NZ) Ltd