Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Wanneroo trainer Debbie Padberg stands alone as Western Australia’s most successful female harness racing trainer, and she reached a memorable milestone at Gloucester Park on Friday night when she landed her 600TH winner.
Padberg produced WA-bred six-year-old Lil Happy Fella in fine fettle for the 2130m Westral Verishade Curtains Pace, in which he was having his first start for his new trainer. It was also his first appearance for two months.
Lil Happy Fella was a $11.70 chance from the No. 4 barrier, and he was driven in confident fashion by leading reinsman Shannon Suvaljko, who was happy to bide his time in sixth position, one-out and two-back, while the $1.09 favourite Storm The Beach was setting the pace and under extreme pressure from $15 chance Winegum who was overracing badly in the breeze.
Suvaljko switched Lil Happy Fella three wide 600m from home and the gelding sprinted fast to take the lead 330m later and then race away and win by a length from $26 chance Chambray, rating 1.56.3.
Lil Happy Fella, a gelding by American stallion Rock N Roll Heaven, showed early promise as a three-year-old when he finished fifth behind Lavra Joe in the Pearl Classic and fourth behind Finvarra in the Westbred Classic.
He now has earned $86,189 from ten wins and 14 placings from 54 starts. He is the first foal out of Christian Cullen mare Lil Miss Hilarious, who won as a three-year-old in New Zealand and then was successful at her Australian debut when she beat Lucky Diva at Gloucester Park in February 2013. She was retired with a record of 14 starts for two wins, three placings and $20,193.
Padberg said that Lil Happy Fella had been working really well since arriving at her stables about a month ago. “He is known for his speed, and tonight’s race was run to suit,” she said.
Padberg has enjoyed her involvement in harness racing since Flying Dundee was her first winner, beating Gay Judge in a $2000 C0 event at Narrogin on September 29,1990, in which he rated 2.9 over the 2150m trip.
She named De Galdearno, Patches, Glitzy Miss and Salliwood as her best pacers. De Galdearno won the Northam Cup in 2005 and 2008 and finished second to Money Magnet in the 2006 Fremantle Cup.
Patches dead-heated for first with OK Windermere in the 2006 Easter Cup, Glitzy Miss won the 2008 Empress Stakes, and Salliwood’s 13 wins included the 2014 BOTRA Cup.
A highlight of Padberg’s wonderful career was when she prepared five winners, Miss Serena, Village Benny, Amadeo, Allwood Peacemaker and Regal Ambition, at Northam in June 2019.