Trans-Tasman Group 1 success for Father Patrick

It was a terrific weekend for Nevele R’s top trotting sire Father Patrick, with the stallion producing Group 1 winners on both sides of the Tasman.

In New Zealand, Habibti Pat continued the recent dominance by fillies in the Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Derby at Addington Friday night with a storming win.

In a hotly run race, it was the Greg and Ben Hope trained filly who had the most left in reserve, coming from last to surge past Meant To Be in the straight and win going away by two and three-quarter lengths.

It was a Father Patrick sired quinella, with Meant To Be two and a quarter lengths clear of the third placed Gatesys Gem.

Habibti Pat’s winning time of 3:13.6 was just 0.2 of a second outside of Nazareth’s overall 3-year-old trotter’s record for the 2,600m trip and just 0.1 of a second of Habibti’s record for a filly.

Last season’s New Zealand 2YO Trotting Filly of the Year, Habibti Pat has now won eight races and $290,016 in stakes money.

Bred by Julie Maghzal, who also races her in partnership with her daughter Sasha, Habibti Pat is out of the Group 1 ANZAC Cup winning Love You mare, Habibti Ivy.

The following evening in Australia, it was another 3-year-old daughter of Father Patrick winning at elite level, with I Am Wilma streeting her rivals in the Group 1 Vicbred Super Series 3YO Trotting Fillies Final at Melton.

The Chris Lang Sr and Sonia Mahar trained filly swept to the lead with just over a lap to go and drew clear in the concluding stages of the race to win by 16.5 metres.

Never out of the top three this season, it was I Am Wilma’s fourth career win to date, with the filly also boasting Group 1 placings in the Victoria Trotting Oaks and Need For Speed Princess Final behind recent The Ascent winner Tracy The Jet in 2025.

Bred by Wayne Schulze, I Am Wilma is out of the Group 2 winning Angus Hall mare Aleppo Jewel.