Hillbilly Blues On Song In National Trot

Consistent square-gaiter Hillbilly Blues (NZ) (What The Hill) made his first tilt at stakes level a winning one when taking out the Group One Peter Breckon Memorial National Trot (2700m) at Alexandra Park on New Year’s Eve.

Bred by Woodlands Stud, Hillbilly Blues was purchased by champion horseman Tony Herlihy out of their 2022 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale draft at Karaka for $30,000.

Initially trained by Herlihy, Hillbilly Blues won on debut for the South Auckland horseman as an early three-year-old and he backed that up with a runner-up result before he was put aside following two unplaced runs.

Herlihy felt he would be better suited to beach training and transferred him to the care of Waiuku trainers Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett last year, and that decision has proved fruitful.

“On our track at home he just wasn’t getting around the bends that great and I know the way Bernie and Michelle train on the beach and I thought that would really suit him,” Herlihy said. 

“He has always had a motor and speed and now he has got a lot stronger and is doing the job we hoped he could do.”

Hillbilly Blues has posted seven wins and eight placings from 18 starts since joining Wallis and Hackett, culminating in his New Year’s Eve triumph, with Herlihy in the bike.

From their ace draw, Hillbilly Blues took an early trail behind race favourite Mighty Logan (NZ) (Creatine) and he got the perfect trip throughout. Upon entering the straight, Herlihy opted not to take the passing lane and instead guided his charge towards the centre of the track where he chased down stablemate Belle Neige (NZ) (Love You) and held off Oscar Bonavena (NZ) (Majestic Son) to win by three-quarters of a length.

“He has stepped up really well in the last six to eight weeks, he has been racing so great and has gotten a lot stronger,” Herlihy said. 

“Even though the conditions weren’t great, they did go a bit slow and he was a bit full of himself, but once he came out and balanced up, he went away from them. He does knock off when he gets to the front, I had to be aware of that, but he got the money which is the main thing.

“I have got a lot of respect for Belle Neige, who I thought went really well last week, and when she was getting a run on us I thought it was going to be hard to peg her back, but once I hooked him out off her back he really hit the line well and got the money.”

Hillbilly Blues, a son of eight-win mare Experiment, has now posted eight wins and nine placings from 22 starts, and has earned more than $170,000 in prizemoney.

 What The Hill progeny will be on offer at the 2026 National Yearling Sale. 9 of  which will sell at Monday 16 February 2026 at Karaka, with the remaining 1 at Christchurch Wednesday 18 February.

Vendor	Woodlands Stud (NZ) Ltd
Purchaser	Mr AG Herlihy
Owner(s)	Mrs S Herlihy, Mrs P C Green, J P Green, James Green, D I Donaldson, Mrs L D Donaldson
Breeding	What The Hill - Experiment
Sale	2022 National Standardbred Yearling Sale, Auckland ($30,000)
Breeder(s)	Woodlands Stud (NZ) Ltd